The carriage rushed all the way back to the capital.
Shang Shiyan’s face was stiff and cold from the wind. Before reaching the city gates, she patted Gu Peice’s back. “Your Highness, please let me off here.”
This spot was close to the Marquis’ residence; she could walk the rest of the way herself.
Gu Peice paused briefly, then lifted Shang Shiyan down from the carriage. His dark eyes swept over her—so now she cared about her reputation? Just earlier, she had clung tightly to him on horseback without the slightest concern.
“Thank you, Your Highness, for bringing me back to the capital. Once I report to my mother, I will certainly come to your residence to express my gratitude.”
Shang Shiyan wanted to say more, but urgent matters awaited her at the Marquis’ estate. She could only bid him farewell.
Watching her small figure gradually disappear into the distance, Gu Peice’s eyes curved faintly.
A subordinate stepped forward. “Your Highness, I heard the Marquis’ daughter was spoiled since childhood—arrogant, fearless, and disliked by everyone. But today she seemed rather well-mannered?”
Gu Peice glanced sideways at him. “Have you fallen for her?”
“Shall I go to the Marquis’ residence and propose marriage on your behalf?”
The subordinate, Zhen Yun, felt a chill down his spine. Why was His Highness speaking so sarcastically?
“I was wrong! I am of lowly status—how could I dare covet the Marquis’ daughter!”
“Miss has returned!”
News of Shang Shiyan’s arrival quickly spread throughout the Marquis’ household.
She went straight to the rear courtyard to see her mother. The beautiful woman, now in her forties, had red, tear-stained eyes that filled with fresh tears the moment she saw her daughter.
“Ah Yan! My Ah Yan has come back!”
“I sent so many people to search for you, but none could find a trace. Do you know how worried I was…”
Shen Zuizhi held Shang Shiyan tightly, unwilling to let go.
Buried in her mother’s embrace, Shang Shiyan felt the warmth she had longed for. Her eyes burned, and she couldn’t help choking up.
In her previous life, after her mother’s death, she had begged on the streets, beaten until covered in wounds. In the bitter cold of midwinter, she had curled up in a ruined temple, shivering, missing her mother desperately. She never imagined she would have another chance to see her again.
“Ah Yan missed you very much too,” she whispered, voice trembling.
“The horse was startled, the carriage fell off a cliff… Fortunately, I was lucky. A pile of dry grass at the bottom saved my life.”
“Thank heavens! My Ah Yan is so kind—her life was never meant to end here!”
Shang Shiyan thought about her reputation in the capital and slowly shook her head. Perhaps only her mother believed she was kind; to the rest of the city, she was nothing more than a spoiled young lady.
After all, she was the family’s treasured jewel, never having suffered the slightest hardship since childhood—certainly not someone who would willingly endure grievances.
In her previous life, this very trait was thoroughly exploited by Shang Yunrou. Shang Yunrou was a transmigrator who knew everything in advance, and she used Shang Shiyan’s arrogance to scheme against her, setting traps everywhere and making enemies for her throughout the capital.
That was why, later, when Shang Shiyan fell into destitution, she suffered so bitterly.
“When your younger sister and the Crown Prince returned, they said they hadn’t seen you at the foot of the mountain. I was so terrified I nearly lost my soul. Thank goodness you came back—otherwise, I would have followed you into death…”
As Shen Zuizhi spoke, tears streamed down her face. Shang Shiyan was the daughter she had risked her life to give birth to, pampered since childhood, never having endured hardship—just one day without seeing her felt like knives carving into her heart.
Shang Shiyan quickly reassured her mother that she was fine, but Shen Zuizhi remained uneasy. She held her daughter close and carefully examined her, only to see the cuts and bloodstains on her wrist. Her heart nearly shattered. “Quick, summon the physician!”
The household doctor arrived, took Shang Shiyan’s pulse, and prescribed ointment. Only after confirming she was truly unharmed did Shen Zuizhi finally relax.
“I’ve already sent word to your brothers—they should be back soon. They’re very worried about you, too.”
Just then, a voice sounded from outside. “Elder Sister!”
Shang Shiyan turned sharply and saw Shang Yunrou walking between her two elder brothers and Shen Shian, her eyes full of apparent concern as she hurried toward her.
“You’ve finally returned to the estate! Do you know how worried we were? We thought something terrible had happened to you. Mother has been crying day and night.” Shang Yunrou was skilled at pretending. As she spoke, she clasped Shang Shiyan’s hand, looking every bit the caring sister.
But Shang Shiyan only felt disgust. She flung Shang Yunrou’s hand away.
“Don’t touch me.”
“Ah Yan, what are you doing? Yunrou is only worried about you.” Her eldest brother, Shang Jing, frowned in disapproval. His gaze tightened, clearly displeased.
Ah Yan was becoming increasingly unruly. Even with the Crown Prince present, she dared to throw a tantrum at Shang Yunrou—truly spoiled beyond measure.
“Worried about me?” Shang Shiyan looked deeply at her brother. Now, facing them, her heart felt nothing but cold emptiness. Her familial affection had long since withered away, eroded by the betrayals of her past life.
“I carried them up from the bottom of the cliff with all my strength, yet they ignored my life and death, abandoning me there. Is that what you call worry?”
When Shang Shiyan carried Shang Yunrou up, Shang Yunrou had been fully conscious.
In her previous life, when Shang Shiyan returned to the estate and questioned Shang Yunrou, Shang Yunrou deceived her—claiming she had been injured and confused, mistaking her for a hallucination, which was why she left. Foolishly, Shang Shiyan had believed her. The matter was brushed aside, and neither her brothers nor her father ever knew the truth.
Now Shang Shiyan understood: Shang Yunrou wanted to steal her fortune, and wished nothing more than for her to die at the bottom of that cliff. How could she possibly have saved her?
“You carried us up?” Shang Yunrou’s eyes widened in shock at Shang Shiyan’s words. Tears immediately fell. “Did you get hurt, Sister? I truly didn’t know it was you who saved us. If I had known, how could I ever have abandoned you!”
Seeing Shang Yunrou’s false display, Shang Shiyan did not hesitate. She lifted her sleeve, exposing the wounds on her arm for all to see.
There were still marks on her wrist from Shang Yunrou’s tight grip—red welts encircling her skin, shocking to behold.
Shang Shiyan fixed a direct gaze on Shang Yunrou. “I’m injured. How does little sister plan to make it up to me?”
Shang Yunrou: “…”
She faltered, not expecting Shang Shiyan to suddenly change her demeanor. In the past, if she had asked such a question while Shang Shiyan was angry, Shang Shiyan would have lashed out at her harshly. But now, Shang Shiyan was unnervingly calm.
“I’m sorry, Elder Sister. It’s all my fault…” Shang Yunrou froze for a moment, then tears spilled down her cheeks like broken pearls.
“If only I were of some use, you wouldn’t have been dragged into this. I’m nothing but a useless burden, always causing trouble for you.”
This was Shang Yunrou’s specialty—playing weak and shifting the focus of the matter onto herself.
As expected, the two Shang brothers and Shen Shian immediately began comforting her.
“Yunrou, this isn’t your fault.”
“Yes, Yunrou. If we’re to trace the cause, you fell and were injured because Ah Yan insisted on leaving the capital to visit our aunt. You were dragged into it. How could anyone blame you?”