Xiao Jingyuan was left speechless by her retort. The anger in his chest flared even higher, yet he found himself unable to refute her.
Looking at the indifference and distance in her eyes, he felt an inexplicable irritation.
He suddenly turned around and ordered the attendants under the corridor in a deep voice, “Move all the banknotes and gold bars from the treasury, and those finest silks and jewels as well—send everything to the side courtyard! Move them all!”
Startled by his anger, the attendants hurriedly bowed. “Yes, Your Highness!”
Soon, a procession of servants carried over a dozen heavy chests toward the side courtyard.
When the chests were opened, they were filled with high-denomination banknotes, glittering stacks of gold bars piled like hills, and dazzling jewels and luxurious brocades that nearly blinded the eye.
Meng Wantang looked at the wealth before her without the slightest ripple in her gaze. She merely said calmly, “Thank you, Your Highness.”
There was no gratitude in her tone, as if she were accepting something utterly ordinary.
Xiao Jingyuan felt even more unsettled seeing her like this, yet he didn’t know how to vent it.
His dark eyes lingered on her—on that breathtakingly beautiful face that was as cold as ice.
For the first time, he realized that this woman he had ignored for three years was far more complex than he had imagined.
Meng Wantang’s fingers brushed the red mole on her little finger. The humiliations of her previous life, once deliberately buried, surged back now with the stench of blood.
Meng Wanqing.
That woman had always treated her as the lowest tool.
Back then, she had schemed to make her substitute in marriage and receive favor only because she herself was infertile, yet greedy for the glory of being Princess Consort of Prince Jing.
So she turned her into a vessel for childbirth.
Later, when the Manor was exiled, those officials and soldiers who flocked around Meng Wanqing along the journey—weren’t they all deceived by her pure and innocent façade?
They thought she was a fragile Princess Consort unable to fend for herself, never knowing how vicious she was behind the scenes.
Seeing those men harbor intentions toward her, she even conceived twisted ideas again—wanting Meng Wantang to “borrow seed” once more and bear her children.
To consolidate her position in others’ hearts.
She treated her like an object to be passed around at will, not granting her even the slightest human dignity.
At the time, for the sake of protecting Xiao Muyan, she could only swallow her pride and grovel like a dog.
Until in the end, she froze and starved to death.
And Meng Wanqing turned around and brought back another child from who knew where, claiming it was her own flesh and blood.
As for her Muyan—
Because he blocked the path of that so-called “fortunate child,”
Meng Wanqing tormented him.
In the end, he was tortured to death on the road of exile.
Thinking of the cries he might have made before dying.
Thinking of his tiny body trembling in the freezing wind—
Poison filled Meng Wantang’s eyes instantly. Her nails dug deep into her palm.
The metallic taste of blood spread across her tongue.
In this lifetime, she would never let tragedy repeat itself.
What Meng Wanqing owed her—and owed Xiao Muyan—she would reclaim bit by bit, with interest.
Xiao Jingyuan left.
“The Princess Consort has arrived!”
The sharp announcement shattered the courtyard’s silence.
The viciousness in Meng Wantang’s eyes vanished instantly, replaced by icy calm.
She looked up to see Meng Wanqing in a luxurious cloud-brocade gown, adorned with glittering jewels.
Her face wore its usual gentle smile, but her eyes, fixed on Meng Wantang, burned with unconcealed anger and jealousy.
Clearly—
She already knew about the lavish rewards Xiao Jingyuan had bestowed.
Meng Wantang didn’t move. She simply watched as Meng Wanqing stormed in with a group of maids and matrons.
Her gaze swept across the courtyard.
Before Meng Wanqing arrived—
Meng Wantang had already stored all the gold, jewels, brocades, and jade ornaments into the Ningyu Jue space.
The courtyard remained shabby as ever—mud walls, an old stone table, not a single decent furnishing. Completely different from the glittering splendor moments ago.
Meng Wanqing scanned the yard and saw nothing of value.
Her brows furrowed instantly. Her tone carried deliberate coyness, yet her eyes were full of mockery. “Sister’s courtyard is quite quiet, but these furnishings are truly shabby. The Prince just rewarded you with so many things—why not display them? Or did you hide them, afraid I might see?”
Meng Wantang glanced at her coolly. “Where I place my belongings has nothing to do with you.”
“How dare you!”
The gentleness on Meng Wanqing’s face cracked, revealing her usual domineering nature.
How could she not be furious? Xiao Jingyuan had never been so generous with her, yet now he had given Meng Wantang so much.
He had even given her the Ningyu Jue!
That jade pendant she had coveted for so long!
Blazing with anger, Meng Wanqing stepped forward—
And raised her hand to slap Meng Wantang, fast and ruthless, clearly something she had done many times before.
But this time, Meng Wantang was prepared.
She shifted slightly to the side—
Dodging the wind-laced slap like a phantom, her movement crisp and precise, the instinctive reflex of a 35th-century agent.
Meng Wanqing’s hand struck empty air.
Stumbling from the momentum, she turned back, her face completely darkened.
“You dare dodge?!” Her eyes were vicious. “Meng Wantang, you’re just a lowly concubine—how dare you dodge my hand?!”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Meng Wantang raised her gaze, meeting her eyes with cold mockery. “So what if you’re Princess Consort? Does that give you the right to hit people at will? Or is that gentle and virtuous image of yours just an act? Privately, are you nothing but a shrew who beats and scolds servants at the slightest provocation?”
“You’re talking nonsense!” Meng Wanqing trembled with fury, her voice sharp. “I see that after receiving a few rewards from the Prince, you’ve forgotten your place! Meng Wantang, don’t forget who you are! You’re just a tool to bear children for me—a lowly maid who can’t see the light! If not for me, you would have died in the countryside long ago! Would you even be standing here speaking to me?”
For a split second, Meng Wanqing was intimidated by Meng Wantang’s aura.
But her overwhelming rage quickly drowned that out.
Looking at this familiar yet strange face, she felt that the once docile wretch had completely lost her mind.
How dare she speak like this?
Fury surged. She raised her hand again to slap Meng Wantang, this time using full force, her fingers cutting sharply through the air, intending to subdue her completely.
A cold light flashed in Meng Wantang’s eyes.
But she did not dodge cleanly this time.
Her body paused slightly, as if frozen in fear, until the slap was about to land.
Only then did she stagger backward.
A few strands of hair slipped loose by her cheeks.
Her already delicate face appeared even paler and more fragile.
She bit her lower lip lightly, her almond eyes misting with tears, as though suffering immense grievance.
Yet she endured without daring to cry out.
Pitiful and tender—enough to tighten anyone’s heart.
At that moment, steady footsteps sounded outside the courtyard gate, accompanied by soft baby babbling.
Meng Wantang looked up to see Xiao Jingyuan walking in, carrying a delicately carved little boy.
The child wore a goose-yellow padded jacket, his hair tied into two small buns, his round eyes curiously observing everything.
When he saw Meng Wantang, his little body wriggled instinctively, as if wanting to leap toward her.
Meng Wantang’s heart clenched painfully.
Her eyes reddened uncontrollably.
She suppressed the urge to rush forward and hold him, maintaining her fragile appearance. Upon seeing Xiao Jingyuan, it was as though she had found support.
Her voice trembled softly, sweet and tender, yet clear enough for both to hear:
“Y-Your Highness… Sister didn’t hit me. Please don’t misunderstand. I… I just stumbled by accident. Sister was only… only too angry. She didn’t mean to raise her hand against me.”