A palm print appeared on Feng Zhao’s cheek, while the warmth that usually filled his eyes seemed to peel away, revealing layers of stubborn obsession intertwined beneath.
He had only wanted to hug her, yet she had slapped him.
They had known each other since childhood as well. Compared with that cripple, he didn’t think he was inferior in any way.
“You hit me for him?”
“Not for him. For myself.”
Gao Zhi’s gaze was calm.
“I know about you and Jiang Tou.”
Feng Zhao froze.
Jiang Tou was the eldest legitimate daughter of the Governor of Jizhou, Gao Zhi’s close friend in her previous life, and the Crown Prince’s beloved concubine who had delivered the poisoned wine that killed her.
In her previous life, Gao Zhi had mistakenly believed that Feng Che had betrayed her. When Feng Zhao came to her residence and confessed that he had admired her for a long time, she had spitefully accepted his proposal, unaware that he had come with the intention of securing the General’s Residence for his own support.
After she married into the Eastern Palace, Feng Zhao never once stepped into her chambers. He allowed the Empress to bully and humiliate her and took Jiang Tou as his secondary consort.
Only before her death did she learn that Jiang Tou and Feng Zhao had already been secretly involved before her marriage to the Crown Prince.
“What do you know?”
Feng Zhao’s expression shifted, replaced by panic and a dark, troubled look.
“I know everything.”
She said it simply.
Feng Zhao moved his lips.
“I don’t care what you’ve misunderstood, and I don’t care whether you believe me.
“But A-Zhi, I don’t care about Jiang Tou at all. You’re the only one I love.”
Gao Zhi merely smiled.
Feng Zhao coaxed her. “Believe me, all right? You’re the only—ugh!”
Another tall, powerful figure charged over and punched Feng Zhao hard.
Like a beast that had completely lost control, Feng Che’s knees trembled uncontrollably as he threw himself at Feng Zhao and began raining down vicious punches.
“How dare you bully her! How dare you betray her!”
Gao Zhi wanted to point out that, in this life, it could hardly be called betrayal yet. But seeing that Feng Che showed no sign of stopping, she hurried over to restrain him.
“Feng Che, stop hitting him.”
Before she could pull him away, a short, chubby figure came flying in and landed on Feng Zhao’s legs, little fleshy fists pounding down hard.
“You bullied Mother! Bad, bad!”
It was Wen Ting who had rushed over. The other two children also ignored Cang Zhu’s attempts to stop them and ran over.
Gao Zheng secretly gave Feng Zhao two kicks. When he saw the children arrive, he hauled Feng Zhao to his feet.
“Your Highness, you should leave. Since you’ve already provoked Jiang Tou, don’t come to the Gao residence again. As for the things you said before, we’ll pretend we never heard them.”
Feng Zhao’s whole body ached terribly. He staggered to his feet and cast a vicious glance at Feng Che and the three children before gritting his teeth and saying to Gao Zhi, “A-Zhi, you’ll regret being with him.”
Gao Zhi said coldly, “Get lost.”
Watching him leave in fury, Madam Shao cursed, “I never thought Jiang Tou was such a vile creature. And the Crown Prince is no better.”
Gao Zheng watched his daughter help Feng Che sit down. After giving him a moment to recover, he asked, “A-Zhi, when did you find out?”
“Just these past few days. Bai He saw them with her own eyes when she went out.”
Gao Zhi concealed the truth.
Gao Zheng nodded. “Bai He is meticulous. She wouldn’t have mistaken what she saw.”
Madam Shao snorted. “The Crown Prince’s guilty expression just now was enough to prove it was true.”
Gao Zheng noticed Feng Che’s chest still rising and falling heavily. His anger had clearly not yet subsided.
“Are you all right?”
Wen Yu and Wen Yan also approached.
“Father, are you all right?”
“I’m fine.”
Seeing the children come over, Feng Che suppressed his anger and said to Cang Zhu, “Take the children away.”
“Mother!”
Wen Ting wrapped his arms around Gao Zhi’s leg, his eyes sparkling as he looked up at her.
“I helped you chase the bad guy away. When are you going home with Father?”
Everyone present froze.
Feng Che frowned.
“Wen Ting! Don’t be rude.”
【A-Zhi actually came to stop me when she saw me hitting Feng Zhao.】
【In her heart, Feng Zhao really is different.】
【So… if A-Zhi hadn’t discovered that Feng Zhao betrayed her, she probably wouldn’t have looked back at me…】
【That makes sense. I’m a cripple now. What right do I have…?】
“Stop overthinking.”
Gao Zhi interrupted Feng Che’s thoughts.
He looked at her in confusion.
“The things you prepared for your wedding five years ago are still in storage. We won’t need to prepare much.”
After some thought, Gao Zheng suddenly spoke.
Feng Che froze.
“General, our marriage can wait for now…”
“The marriage was arranged by His Majesty. And just now, A-Zhi rejected the Crown Prince, while you even struck him. If you don’t marry as soon as possible, complications may arise.”
Madam Shao’s attitude had changed completely.
“What if the Empress forces the matter and insists that A-Zhi enter the Eastern Palace? You’ve already delayed A-Zhi for all these years. Aren’t you afraid of delaying the rest of her life as well?”
Those words pierced Feng Che’s heart like a blade.
【That’s right.】
【I’ve already delayed A-Zhi for all these years…】
【But A-Zhi doesn’t love me. If I make her marry a cripple like me, wouldn’t I be delaying her too?】
“I’ll have one of my disciples go to the Prince’s Residence to treat your injuries,” Madam Shao said.
Gao Zhi grabbed her mother’s hand.
“Mother, aren’t you going to treat him yourself? His injuries…”
Madam Shao said irritably, “I’ve run my medical clinic for more than twenty years. My disciples have long since reached the same level of medical skill as me. If they can’t save someone, neither can I. Besides, you’re in such a hurry to get married. I need to stay home and prepare things.”
That was true.
Madam Shao had opened her medical clinic when she was young, and the disciple she had taken in had long since become a renowned medical expert in the capital. Gao Zhi had simply forgotten in her moment of concern.
“Mother, does that mean you’ll be able to be with us very soon?”
Wen Ting tugged on Gao Zhi’s sleeve.
Seeing the complicated expressions on her parents’ faces, Gao Zhi crouched down and stroked Wen Ting’s head.
“Yes.”
Feng Che paused upon hearing this.
【A-Zhi, she…】
“A-Ting.”
Wen Yu grabbed Wen Ting.
“Miss Gao hasn’t married Father yet. You can’t call her that.”
Gao Zhi’s gaze fell upon the little girl’s slightly displeased face.
Wen Yu seemed to dislike her…
Now that she knew the truth about her previous life, Gao Zhi had already decided to honor this marriage.
Elder Brother Wen had taken good care of her when they were at the academy. She had to take responsibility for his children together with Feng Che.
Raising children was all it was.
If she put enough effort into it, she was certain she could win their hearts with sincerity.
Madam Shao’s worry proved to be justified.
The very next day, the Empress’s attendants from Kunning Palace came to summon Gao Zhi.
“I’m afraid the Empress is going to make things difficult for you, Miss.”
As Bai He accompanied Gao Zhi toward Kunning Palace, following the palace attendants, she couldn’t help worrying.
Just two days ago, Miss had agreed to enter the Eastern Palace as the Crown Prince’s bride. Now she had changed her mind, loudly declaring at the city gates that she would marry Feng Che, and had even fought Zhu Wen.
The matter had caused a huge uproar.
As far as charges went, Gao Zhi could already list several on behalf of her future mother-in-law from her previous life.
“When soldiers come, we’ll meet them with soldiers; when water comes, we’ll block it with earth.”
Gao Zhi had grown accustomed to the Empress making things difficult for her in her previous life. She knew all of the woman’s tricks. Besides, Feng Che had always held a place in His Majesty’s heart.
As Feng Che’s fiancée, the Empress wouldn’t dare go too far.
Out of the corner of her eye, Gao Zhi spotted a woman seated in a magnificent red carriage covered with blue-green brocade. She appeared to be in her forties, elegant and graceful.
“The solution has arrived.”
Gao Zhi curled her lips into a smile.
“Princess!”
“Princess Huaishu!”
One of the Princess’s attendants stepped forward and was about to drive away the maid whose identity was unknown when Princess Huaishu stopped her.
“Who are you?”
“This servant is the maid of Gao Zhi, daughter of the Grand General of State.”
Bai He presented a golden hairpin.
“My mistress found this hairpin just now and sent me to ask whether it belongs to Her Highness.”
Huaishu only glanced at it.
“It doesn’t.”
“Then this servant will take her leave…”
“Wait.”
Huaishu frowned.
“Gao Zhi? Is she the Gao Zhi who is betrothed to A-Che?”
“Yes.”
Bai He nodded.
“Where is she?” Huaishu asked.
“Miss was summoned to Kunning Palace.”
Huaishu paused.
A-Che had only just returned, yet even she had heard yesterday’s rumors. The Empress was probably summoning Gao Zhi to hold her accountable.
“My mistress also said something else.”
Bai He looked up.
“She has admired Your Highness, the Princess, for a long time. She hopes that one day she’ll have the honor of sharing a cup of Jian’an tea with you.”
Huaishu’s eyes trembled.
“Your Highness, it’s time for us to leave the palace.”
Seeing Gao Zhi’s maid walk away, the attendant stepped forward to remind her.
Huaishu raised her eyes.
“Return to Zichen Palace.”
Inside Kunning Palace, the atmosphere was solemn.
Gao Zhi was led into the hall. On the seat of honor sat Empress Zhu, with a young woman beside her. She had a fair, delicate face touched with pink, and clear, graceful features reminiscent of distant mountains and hibiscus flowers. Her sweet, soft laughter echoed through the hall.
“Zhizhi!”
Jiang Tou tried to stand, but the woman beside her pulled her back, leaving her puzzled.
In her previous life, Gao Zhi had been deeply deceived by that innocent-looking face.
She had believed Jiang Tou when she said they were close friends. She had believed that Jiang Tou had married into the Eastern Palace because it was the decision of the Jiang family. She had even believed that Jiang Tou had brought her the poisoned wine because the Crown Prince had been arrested and the Jiang family intended to take her away from the capital.
That final cup of wine had been a farewell, and a toast to the day they would meet again.
She had drunk it without the slightest hesitation.
And sure enough, they had met again.
“Aunt…”
Jiang Tou was pulled back down.
Empress Zhu was strikingly beautiful. As she had reached middle age, her features had become increasingly sharp, giving her a somewhat severe appearance.
“Miss Gao, I thought I had treated you with enough courtesy. I agreed to let the Crown Prince marry you, yet what did you do? You assaulted one of my people, then went back on your word and accepted your marriage to Prince Huai’an, humiliating the Crown Prince. You even got into a fight with my nephew at the city gates.”
Seeing that the young woman remained unmoved, Empress Zhu said coldly, “Anyone who shows contempt for the imperial family is to receive thirty strokes. Nanny Zhu.”
At those words, several scenes flashed through Gao Zhi’s mind.
When she had first entered the Eastern Palace, the Empress had not shown her true colors. It was only after Jiang Tou married into the palace that Empress Zhu began using the fact that she and Feng Zhao had never consummated their marriage as an excuse to torment and humiliate her every few days.
Such beatings had been commonplace.
The Empress knew that Feng Zhao never entered her chambers, so she had no fear that anyone would discover her injuries.
It wasn’t that Gao Zhi had never considered complaining to Feng Zhao.
She had gone to ask him three or four times, yet he had never once bothered to inquire about it.
Eventually, she stopped going.
In her first year in the Eastern Palace, she was left with numerous injuries. As someone who practiced martial arts, she wasn’t particularly delicate. It was only when Madam Shao came to visit and happened to notice the injuries on her arm that she repeatedly questioned her about them.
Gao Zhi had concealed the truth, claiming that she had accidentally fallen.
After Madam Shao left, she still couldn’t hold back her tears.
That year, she was twenty years old. She had never suffered the hardships of life and had no idea that the magnificent Eastern Palace, which looked like a jade pavilion in the heavens, was actually a hellish den that devoured people without leaving even their bones behind.
“Aunt, Zhizhi isn’t that kind of person.”
Jiang Tou tried to stop her.
“She’s sentimental and kind-hearted. She must have thought Prince Huai’an was pitiful, so…”
Empress Zhu narrowed her eyes.
“So she developed feelings for him again, and their old romance was rekindled.”
Jiang Tou frowned.
“No…”
“Gao Zhi, I’m giving you a chance to explain yourself.”
Empress Zhu glanced at Nanny Zhu.
Nanny Zhu had only just been kicked by Gao Zhi the day before and was harboring a grudge. She raised the prepared thorny switch and swung it viciously toward Gao Zhi’s back.