Lin Nong pushed him but couldn’t break free.
The man’s strength was terrifying, nearly crushing her shoulders.
During their struggle, her nightgown slipped, revealing a glimpse of her delicate frame: “Clearly, it’s Wangye who’s being unreasonable! What does my heart matter? Your humble consort is pure and innocent, why must you humiliate me like this!”
Xiao Chengyan’s palms seemed to have grown roots, unable to release her!
He pinned her hands above her head: “Answer this prince’s question!”
Lin Nong’s delicate body trembled as she bit her lip in silence.
Xiao Chengyan frowned.
He thought a woman of her gentle nature would yield even when wronged, giving him the satisfactory answer he wanted.
Yet she stubbornly refused, leaving him helpless!
The stalemate lasted a long while.
How could someone as proud as Xiao Chengyan bear this?
Finally, he flung his sleeve and left!
Lin Nong’s expression gradually shifted as she wiped away tears worthy of an Oscar-winning performance, muttering with a delicate frown: “Having to act even late at night, who works harder than me! If I ever return to modern times and enter the entertainment industry, I could definitely win best actress awards!”
…
The commotion reached Wutong Hall.
Zi Sangli’s gloomy mood immediately brightened!
“My careful planning wasn’t in vain – His Highness finally despises that little slut!”
After her moment of triumph, she grew even more resentful and anxious.
“In just one month, she’s managed to capture His Highness’s attention. If I don’t take this opportunity to crush her completely, she’ll surely use every trick to seduce him again! No, I must find a way to make His Highness witness her shameless, wanton behavior himself, until he’s thoroughly disgusted with her!”
Her confidante’s eyes gleamed as she stepped forward with a suggestion: “This servant has already established connections with the maids in He Lan’s residence. To succeed… it shouldn’t be difficult!”
“Oh?” Zi Sangli delightedly took a jeweled hairpin from her dressing case and gave it to her: “Your loyal service in planning for me won’t go unrewarded!”
…
Waking early the next morning.
Lin Nong felt refreshed and cheerful.
But with spies watching, she had to maintain an appearance of melancholy.
Yi Ran returned from outside and handed her an invitation: “The Little County Princess from Qianyang Manor has sent an invitation, requesting your presence at Snow Crane Garden to enjoy opera!”
Lin Nong was feeling bored.
An invitation meant an opportunity to get some fresh air.
“Inform Wangfei.”
Yi Ran went to deliver the message.
Zi Sangli didn’t object, only reminding her to be careful and return to Wangfu before dark.
After preparing herself, Lin Nong went to Snow Crane Garden.
It was a place for enjoying opera.
With expensive tea and snacks, only wealthy and influential people frequented it.
She and the Little County Princess were confidantes, often visiting together to listen to opera and chat before marriage.
“Has she been giving you trouble?”
The Little County Princess snorted coldly: “Others might not know, but I’m aware! That Zi Sangli is extremely jealous and vicious!”
“About half a year ago! A minister’s daughter showed some interest in my cousin. When she found out, she actually schemed to put the girl in bed with a married man! How could an official’s dignified daughter become someone’s concubine? Wouldn’t that mean complete loss of face? In the end, her family strangled her to death to preserve their honor!”
Lin Nong was shocked.
After several failed attempts to change her path into Wangfu, she had people monitoring everyone and everything related to Xiao Chengyan.
But she’d never heard about this incident.
It revealed just how malicious Zi Sangli was behind her dignified mask!
The Little County Princess worried for her.
With such beautiful looks, perceptive mind, kind heart and quick wit, marrying any man in the capital would have brought her happiness.
Of all places, I had to enter the Wangfu and end up under the same roof as that venomous creature Zi Sangli!
“Although Zi Sangli acted discreetly, someone in the Minister’s household must have noticed something and reported it to the palace. The Empress then deliberately chose you to enter the Wangfu, intentionally granting you the status of the principal wife and having you perform the wedding ceremony with your cousin-in-law.”
“This is the Empress’s warning to Zi Sangli. Zi Sangli wouldn’t dare confront the Empress directly, so she’ll surely take it all out on you. She won’t rest until she ruins you completely. You must be extremely cautious.”
Lin Nong nodded, grateful for her friend’s reminder and concern. “I know. I won’t give her any chance to harm me.”
The two young women chatted about recent events while enjoying the opera.
The Little County Princess had to leave early due to prior commitments.
Lin Nong, rarely having the chance to go out, decided to stay a bit longer.
Shortly after the Little County Princess left, there was a knock at the door.
Yi Ran opened it.
Standing outside was a young gentleman with a gentle smile, as radiant as the moon, his features refined and transcendent.
It was Helan Yue Zheng.
He glanced into the private room, and upon seeing Lin Nong, a brighter light flickered in his eyes.
Lin Nong enjoyed admiring handsome men, especially those as gentle as jade and emotionally intelligent. Speaking with them always lifted her spirits!
“What a coincidence, Brother! You’ve come to listen to opera too!”
Helan Yue Zheng’s smile was as serene as moonlight. “I ran into the Little County Princess at the entrance. She mentioned you were here, so I didn’t bother asking the manager for a private room. Would you grant me a seat, Your Ladyship?”
Lin Nong laughed and invited him in. “Brother, please don’t address me like that. I’m no ‘ladyship’—in the Wangfu, I’m nothing more than a decoration!”
He entered the private room.
The door closed.
Listening to the laughter and conversation inside, the maid who had accompanied Helan Yue Zheng touched the expensive lip rouge on her lips, a shadowy, ambiguous smile curling at the corners of her mouth.
Ever since the imperial decree of marriage was issued, Lin Nong had been confined to preparing for her wedding. Counting carefully, it had been over half a year since she last saw Yue Zheng.
From the moment she transmigrated into this book, she knew the two families were as close as kin. Lin Nong had known him since childhood, and they shared similar interests, always able to converse freely.
“Seeing you now, little sister, is truly difficult.”
As they spoke, a commotion erupted at the door.
“Wangye! What brings you here?”
“Step aside!”
Following a man’s low, furious voice, the door was kicked open with a “bang”!
Helan Yue Zheng instinctively shielded Lin Nong behind him.
Lin Nong peeked out from behind him, her eyes filled with fear. When she saw who had entered, her expression shifted to shock and panic. “Wangye…”
Xiao Chengyan’s face was dark with rage as he grabbed her slender wrist. “So you still remember who I am!”
Lin Nong winced in pain, frowning and letting out a soft cry.
Helan Yue Zheng instinctively intervened. “Wangye, you’re hurting Nong’er!”
Fury raged uncontrollably in Xiao Chengyan’s chest. “This Wang’s concubine is none of your concern, Helan Gongzi!”
Zi Sangli’s eyes gleamed with triumph. “Wangye accompanied me to listen to opera. When we saw your maid standing outside, we came to greet you! Who would have thought you would…”
She sighed softly, fanning the flames of Xiao Chengyan’s anger. Noticing the mark on her lips, which didn’t seem freshly bitten, suspicion arose in her heart.
Could it have been Xiao Chengyan who bit her last night?
Indeed!
They must have been involved long before!
Damn it!
You wretched woman, drop dead!
Consumed by jealousy, her words grew even sharper: “Even if you and Helan Gongzi are deeply in love, and would have married long ago if not for the imperial decree, you are now Wangye’s concubine. How dare you betray Wangye and sneak out to meet another man in secret?”