Chapter 1

On the fifth day of May, Xuanwu Marquis Mansion.

The branches were full of fading spring, with peach blossoms still hanging in pieces on the garcinia branches.

The sun was setting, and a breeze blew through the corridor as two figures approached from around the corner.

If one looked closely, they would see the woman in front was slim and graceful, her hair pulled back at the temples. A light sweat dotted her delicate forehead, causing stray hairs to stick.

“Young Madam, Young Madam, please slow down,” called out behind her.

Xu Lianqiao furrowed her brows, her cheeks tinged with red. Ignoring the voice behind her, she panted for breath, lifting up her skirts and taking quick steps forward.

She was extremely upset at the moment. She had no idea how much more she had to endure before she wouldn’t be in anyone’s way.

The wind blowing through the hall made her feel even more irritated.

It wasn’t until she passed through the backyard and reached the door of her residence that her footsteps gradually slowed and came to a stop. Without hesitation, Xu Lianqiao pushed open the wooden door.

With a soft “squeak,” she crossed the threshold and sat down on a nearby stool.

It was infuriating!

Taking a step back, the more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She grabbed the book that was upside down on the table, pinched its spine, and shook her wrist, fanning herself fiercely.

She hoped the breeze would blow away the frustration in her heart.

Unfortunately, the book was too thick. After slapping it twice, her wrist grew tired.

With a “pop,” the book flipped onto the table.

At that moment, Chun Xing, who had been waiting by her side, was truly shocked.

Chun Xing’s eyes widened in surprise, thinking to herself, *I can’t help but notice how suspicious Lady Lu’s pregnancy pain at Mingxi Courtyard is.*

Just a few days ago, Xu Lianqiao had sent cloth and spices to the place, and today there was news of someone suffering from stomach pain.

It certainly made one think of Madam.

Feeling a hint of joy in her heart, Chun Xing picked up the teapot from the table and poured a glass of water. Tentatively, she offered it to Xu Lianqiao, saying:

“Madam, please drink some water to calm your nerves.”

She had just spoken and was still hesitant when she handed the still-steaming tea to Xu Lianqiao.

Xu Lianqiao glanced at her briefly and thought:

*Calm down. She just wants me to calm down. Who would want to stay angry for no reason? Who wants to live a few less years?*

But despite her rational thoughts, her fingers, still pressed on the book, trembled slightly from the force.

“Put it aside for now.”

Xu Lianqiao spoke in a low voice, but there was still a trace of uncontrollable trembling in her words.

“Madam, in my opinion, you can explain things to the prince later…” 

“Explain?”

Xu Lianqiao tilted her head and stared at the light orange tea before raising her eyebrows. If it had been in the past, she might have really thought Chun Xing had her best interests in mind.

But…

She looked out the window at the increasingly gloomy sky, and her once-angry eyes began to lose their intensity. Shaking her head, she couldn’t help but laugh bitterly: *Humph! Explain? Why would I explain what I did?*

She did nothing, yet somehow it was her who had to explain herself.

Explanations were only needed for those willing to believe you. For those who never trusted you, every word would sound like nonsense.

Just like her mother-in-law, Mrs. Jiang. Without any investigation, she had immediately accused Xu Lianqiao of attempting to harm her grandson. The scolding and grounding came before she could even speak a single word in her defense.

Thinking of this, a bitter expression appeared on Xu Lianqiao’s face.

“You can leave now.”

After dismissing Chun Xing, Xu Lianqiao lay down on the bed, undressed.

If she couldn’t control herself, she might as well do whatever pleased her.

After closing her eyes for a nap, the sky had fully darkened.

It had to be said, the people in Mingxi Courtyard were really good at stirring up trouble. Even though the physician confirmed everything was fine, they still summoned all available personnel.

An hour passed and no one had brought her any food.

Pursing her lips, Xu Lianqiao, feeling really hungry and thirsty, picked up the tea, poured herself a glass, and drank it in one gulp.

_ 

It was night, and the house remained dark and still.

The strong wind slammed against the window eaves, as if the rain that had built up over the past few days was about to pour.

Xu Lianqiao, feeling hungry, could not sleep peacefully.

In a foggy haze, she dreamed of a rainy night from eight years ago, when she was just ten years old and trapped on the sandy slopes of Qilin Mountain.

Heavy mud and sand pressed down on her body, while the relentless mountain rain blurred her vision. Just when she thought rescue was near, she vaguely saw a young man reaching out and firmly holding her hand.

The warmth she felt was like nothing she had ever known. No one had ever held her hand and told her not to be afraid.

Not her father. Not her mother.

The hurried footsteps outside the door interrupted Xu Lianqiao’s fragmented nightmare.

She woke up and realized her pajamas were drenched in sweat.

“Your Majesty, why are you back? Madam has already rested for a long time.”

The delicate, innocent voice reached her ears. Xu Lianqiao sat up, stunned for a moment before recognizing the voice as Chun Xing’s—the maid assigned to her as part of her dowry.

Chun Xing had been assigned to her but had been temporarily placed by her second uncle just days before her wedding.

Xu Lianqiao didn’t ask for loyalty, but she certainly didn’t expect to be treated like a fool.

It turned out that from the very beginning, Chun Xing’s real target was her so-called husband.

“She can sleep.” 

Even though the door separated them, Xu Lianqiao could still hear the sarcasm in the man’s voice.

From the light outside, she could vaguely see Jiang Huai’s slender figure reflected on the door and window.

Looking at his appearance alone, Xu Lianqiao couldn’t deny that Jiang Huai was indeed handsome. His sharp eyebrows and strong, heroic presence were unmatched, even in the entire city of Beijing.

Thinking about it, if not for the verbal agreement between their parents and Jiang Huai’s grandfather being gravely ill, the Jiang family would never have consented to this marriage.

But did she really want to be the wife of this prince?

Thinking about this, Xu Lianqiao buried her head in her knees, feeling a wave of helplessness.

Then came the loud “clang” as the door was abruptly opened. No, it should have been kicked open.

Naturally, Xu Lianqiao jumped in surprise, her shoulders shaking.

When she raised her head, a long, strong hand with distinct joints reached through the bed curtain and grasped her left wrist.

“Come out.”

Xu Lianqiao was only wearing a thin moon-white pajama, and she felt embarrassed to be dragged out like this.

Before she could react, her bare feet were already on the cold floor.

After stumbling for a moment, Xu Lianqiao angrily shouted:

“Jiang Huai, Jiang Huai, let me go!”

As she struggled to break free from his grip, she used her other hand to shield her chest, wanting to avoid any further embarrassment in front of the servants.

After all, she had married into the Xuanwu Marquis Mansion.

Jiang Huai seemed to realize his actions were inappropriate. He raised his hand, signaling for the three or four people blocking the door to retreat without any reaction.

Though they were servants, they could clearly see that their prince had never cared for this woman.

How could an orphan girl like her be worthy of being the lady of the Marquis Mansion?

Their eldest son was a young minister at Dali Temple and had inherited the title of the entire Xuanwu Marquis Mansion. No noble girl in the capital would have been a worthy match for him, yet the old man insisted on marrying her off.

But with the old man gravely ill, no one knew how much longer he had.

It wasn’t until the door slammed shut again that Jiang Huai turned his cold gaze toward Xu Lianqiao, his expression dark.

A coldness ran through her wrists, but it was nothing compared to the chill she felt in her heart at that moment.

She recalled that a year ago, on their wedding night, she had been left alone in this room for half the night. Only the next day did she learn from her sister-in-law that her newlywed husband had spent the night in another woman’s room, turning her into the joke of the entire Hou family.

Even now, for Lu Siqing, he could rush back to confront her in front of all these servants.

She hadn’t realized how much he despised her.

So why did he agree to marry her? He, a grown man, didn’t want to, yet had been forced to go through with the wedding.

This thought only made her angrier. The anger she had bottled up earlier mixed with the frustration from the day. She didn’t know where she found the strength to push Jiang Huai’s hand off.

But the force was too strong, and she lost her balance. She stumbled back two steps, hitting the solid wood bedpost behind her.

She gasped in pain, the sharp ache causing tears to fall involuntarily.

Before she could recover, she heard Jiang Huai’s mocking voice from above her: “Don’t try to play the victim.”

Seeing her lower her head, his tone grew even more derisive. “Siqing, she must fulfill her duty, but as a woman, you are so vicious that you cannot even accept the child in her belly.”

At that moment, Xu Lianqiao understood: Jiang Huai, just like his mother, had long believed in their version of “the truth.”

But…

“Where’s the evidence?”  

Xu Lianqiao no longer cared about Jiang Huai’s opinion of her, and over the years, she had lost all expectations for him.  

However, that didn’t mean she would allow others to unjustly accuse her.  

This time, Xu Lianqiao lifted her head and met Jiang Huai’s gaze directly.  

At that moment, a flash of lightning illuminated the sky outside, casting a cold reflection of the grim face.  

In his memory, this was the first time he had seen Xu Lianqiao like this.  

Indeed, this was her true self. The kindness and generosity she had shown over the past year were simply a mask to deceive him. If it hadn’t been for the incident with Siqing, he would have fallen for it.  

Thinking about this, his hands clenched into fists behind him.  

“Evidence… Xu Lianqiao, you truly won’t admit anything until it’s too late. Did you send someone to place the incense in Siqing’s room?”  

This wasn’t a question—it was a firm accusation.  

After a brief pause, Jiang Huai took an incense stick from his belt and threw it at her.  

He continued coldly, “This fragrance contains a lot of musk. How dare you claim you didn’t know? Xu Lianqiao, you’re incredibly bold.”  

Xu Lianqiao looked down and let out a faint laugh. She wasn’t sure why she laughed as she left, perhaps because of Jiang Huai’s foolishness.  

Seeing his surprised expression, she spoke calmly:  

“Jiang Huai, you’re still the Minister of Dali Temple. If you judge cases like this, you’ll cause many innocent people to suffer in Dali Temple Prison.”  

What was her role in the mansion? It wasn’t as though he didn’t know his mother handled all the household matters—from organizing banquets to making purchases and distributing things. It was always his mother who took care of the arrangements.  

The cloth and spices she sent were only borrowed. She never saw or touched them.  

Besides, his mother was extremely protective of the child in Lu Siqing’s belly. She was always wary of others. How could she have allowed Xu Lianqiao to have such an opportunity? Jiang Huai would have to be insane to believe their words.  

Annoyed by her response, Jiang Huai stepped forward and gripped her chin.  

“What you’re implying is that I’ve wronged you?”  

His breath brushed her face, making her feel disgusted.  

“If you want to frame someone, there’s no reason to hesitate.”  

She showed no weakness and kept looking into his eyes, seeing a hesitation in his dark gaze.  

She knew Jiang Huai was conflicted.  

But his fingers, which had briefly loosened, tightened once more on her chin, leaving a red mark.  

“Since you’re so stubborn, don’t blame me for being harsh.”  

After a moment’s pause, he spoke slowly, “Tomorrow, you’ll move to a village on the outskirts. You won’t leave that village without my permission. You’d better pray for Siqing and her unborn child’s safety day and night, or else…”  

Jiang Huai paused again, then added harshly, “Otherwise, I’ll make sure you’re buried with me.”  

Xu Lianqiao understood: He meant to imprison her in the village.  

She had reached her breaking point.  

Looking into his eyes, full of suspicion and contempt, she couldn’t understand why the young man who had once saved her during a storm had turned into someone so strange.  

In reality, she didn’t care about him anymore, but why did her chest feel so tight?  

She didn’t know if it was because of the situation or something else, but tears began to fill her eyes without warning.  

In the year since she married into the Xuanwu Marquis Mansion, she had never done anything to harm them.  

On their wedding night, Jiang Huai stayed with her the entire night, yet she endured it.  

When he returned to the mansion, he embarrassed her, and she accepted it.  

Even with every concubine he took, she gave them the respect they deserved.  

So… why?  

Was it simply because she held the position of his wife?  

She raised her head, fighting to keep the tears from falling.  

He wanted to see her crying, desperate, but she wouldn’t give him that satisfaction.  

She had once thought that even if Jiang Huai didn’t love her, they could still live together in peace.  

But now, she can’t take it anymore…  

She also wanted to know what it felt like to be cared for.  

Not to be discarded like an old pair of shoes.  

“Jiang Huai, let’s end this.”