Chapter 3: Changing Fates  

“Stop!” Shen Shurong startled, struggling to sit up. “Fool! If you save me only to die for it, do you mean to burden me with the stigma of ingratitude?” 

“Must I endure pointing fingers even after death?” 

Clang! 

Xie Yunzhao dropped the sword, his expression growing more distraught. “Of course not! I thought… if I died, you wouldn’t be burdened by today’s events. You could live on peacefully.” 

“I don’t blame you,” she said. “You saved me—you’re my benefactor. My family should be thanking you. But I’ve wronged Brother Zheng. I was his betrothed, yet now my reputation is ruined.” 

Xie Yunzhao lowered his gaze, his eyes rimmed red. It was he who had destroyed her purity, he who had made it impossible for her to marry Xie Yunzheng! It was he who had brought her such grief! 

“Junzhu, I don’t mind,” Xie Yunzheng stepped forward. “Your life is what matters most. That you’re safe is blessing enough.” 

“No!” Shen Shurong shook her head violently, turning her face away. “You’re like an untainted lotus rising from the water—so noble and pure. I won’t let myself stain you. Please… leave.” 

Xie Yunzheng refused. “Grand Princess, Commandery Prince,” he said firmly, “I wish to speak with the Junzhu alone.”

The Grand Princess nodded. This farce could not continue—someone had to swallow this bitter pill. 

The room quickly emptied as everyone withdrew to the courtyard. Shen Shurong was settled into a chair by her elder brother. 

Xie Yunzheng stood at the open doorway, his voice so low only the two of them could hear: 

“Junzhu, our families have been betrothed since childhood. But Yunzhao was originally the elder brother—he should have been named heir. I worked a hundred times harder than anyone else just to deserve you. Only by becoming heir could I rightfully marry you.” 

“If I lose you, what use is this title to me?” 

Shen Shurong was first stunned, then moved—though inwardly, she scoffed. 

When she was fourteen, the Duke of Lu had publicly claimed there had been a mistake in recording the twins’ birth order—that Xie Yunzheng was actually the elder brother, and Xie Yunzhao the younger. 

But everyone knew the truth. 

In the Great Zhou, noble titles could only pass to the firstborn legitimate son. The Duke of Lu’s household had wanted the heirship for Xie Yunzheng all along—because at the time, Xie Yunzhao had been nothing but an uneducated, unruly disgrace. 

It wasn’t until Xie Yunzheng was formally named heir that Shen Shurong realized: the man she would marry was the heir. 

Before she turned fourteen, she had always assumed she would wed Xie Yunzhao. But from that day forward, her grandmother, mother, and brother spoke endlessly of how exceptional Xie Yunzheng was. 

Her grandparents were aging. Once they passed, the Grand Princess’ estate would cease to exist. What prestige would the Commandery Prince’s household have then?

Only by marrying the heir of the powerful Duke of Lu’s household could she bring substantial benefits to the Commandery Prince’s residence. Compared to her family’s future, the grievances in her heart seemed insignificant. 

But what about her own happiness? 

She had obediently married Xie Yunzheng, yet all the misery in her life stemmed from him. 

After she became the depraved emperor’s plaything, that monster even summoned her father and brother into the palace—forcing them to witness her humiliation with their own eyes. 

The shock in their eyes, the blood and tears they dared not shed, carved into her heart like knives. 

Not content with this cruelty, the emperor then commanded Xie Yunzheng to bring their legitimate son, Xie Zhinan, into the palace—deliberately making the child watch as she nestled in the emperor’s arms! 

When she saw the crimson fury in Xie Yunzhao’s eyes that day, hatred consumed her. She longed to rip the hairpin from her head and stab the emperor a thousand times—ten thousand!—and Xie Yunzheng along with him! 

And now, what was he saying? That he fought for the heirship just to marry her? 

That without her, the title meant nothing? 

“How amusing.” He’d actually revealed his true colors before her.

Perhaps at this moment, he did harbor some genuine feelings for her. But she didn’t care—it was utterly revolting. 

Suppressing the storm raging in her heart, she forced a bitter smile. “Brother Zheng, there’s no need to demean yourself to comfort me. I’m unworthy to marry you. I won’t let you suffer gossip because of me. Only my death can bring you peace.” 

With that, she smashed a porcelain cup on the ground, swiftly picked up a shard, and slashed it across her wrist. 

“Junzhu!” Xie Yunzheng rushed forward and seized her hand. “You mustn’t!” 

People flooded into the room from outside. A thin red line had already formed on her wrist—shallow, but enough to make her point. 

“Get out! All of you, leave this instant!” The Grand Princess clutched Shen Shurong tightly. “Are you trying to push her to her death? Our Yongjia won’t marry anyone!” 

Once everyone had withdrawn, the Young Commandery Prince shut the door firmly. If this continued, there would inevitably come a day when they couldn’t stop her in time. 

He pulled his family aside. “It’s impossible for little sister not to marry. Gossip cuts like knives. Since the marriage alliance was with the Duke’s household anyway—between the two brothers, does it truly matter which one she weds?”

Elder Shen nodded in agreement. “That makes sense. Why not have her marry Xie Yunzhao instead? At the very least, Yongjia won’t be driven to such despair again.” 

The Commandery Prince and his wife exchanged uneasy glances. “But… the heir is Xie Yunzheng. This Xie Yunzhao… Our Yongjia is of such noble status…” It felt like a pitiful compromise. 

Elder Shen shot them a sharp look. “Would you rather she lose her life?” 

“…Understood.” The Commandery Prince lowered his gaze at once. 

The Commandery Princess, however, still seethed with resentment. Their son had already married beneath their station—must their daughter do the same? 

The Commandery Prince approached the Xie family. “Our two families’ marriage alliance was never explicitly tied to Yunzheng. Given what has transpired between Yongjia and Yunzhao, let us formalize the match with Yunzhao instead.” 

“What does the Duke of Lu think of this?” 

Xie Yunzhao stood frozen. What did this mean? That… he was to marry Shen Shurong?

He was willing—desperately willing—but… she seemed reluctant to marry him. She had always loved Xie Yunzheng. 

Xie Yunzheng’s face darkened with anger. “This is unacceptable. Commandery Prince, I don’t care about what happened. Though it wasn’t formally settled, everyone knows that the Junzhu and I—” 

The Commandery Prince cut him off. “Heir Xie, Yongjia cannot overcome her own guilt. You saw it yourself just now. Of course, we had hoped… sigh… Yongjia is the treasure of both our households. We only want her to live.” Even if it meant marrying this wastrel! 

The Duke of Lu was inwardly ecstatic—this was a windfall for his household. But he knew better than to show it. This was a compromise born of necessity, not choice. Suppressing any hint of joy, he adopted a pained expression. “Only… this does injustice to the Junzhu.” 

Then, sharply to his son: “You disgrace! Come greet your father-in-law at once!” 

“Father, the Junzhu was promised to me,” Xie Yunzheng protested, never imagining things would escalate this far. He had already said he didn’t mind—if even her future husband didn’t care, why should outsiders gossip? He grabbed the Duke’s sleeve. 

“Silence!” The Duke’s head throbbed. Couldn’t this boy let him have a moment’s peace? How could the heir be so shortsighted? If not Yongjia, he could marry someone else. 

With Yongjia still entering the Duke’s household, wouldn’t it be ideal to secure two exemplary daughters-in-law at once? 

Xie Yunzhao shuffled forward. This was all others deciding for her—the Junzhu might not consent. “Father, I’ll abide by the Junzhu’s wishes. Only if she agrees to marry me will I…” 

The Commandery Prince suddenly remembered and turned to leave. “Right, right—Yunzhao speaks wisely. We must still consult Yongjia.”

The Commandery Princess could see no other way—she couldn’t truly watch her daughter seek death. After obtaining permission, she entered Shen Shurong’s chamber and spoke with difficulty: 

“My child, though reputation is weightier than heaven itself… your mother and grandmother cannot bear to lose you.” 

After a pause, she continued carefully, “What do you think of Xie Yunzhao? Our family’s marriage alliance with the Duke’s household was never formally tied to Yunzheng. Yunzhao would serve just as well—this way, we might silence the wagging tongues.” 

Shen Shurong stared blankly, as if she hadn’t quite understood. “Mother means… my betrothed need not be Brother Zheng? That it could also be Xie Yunzhao?” 

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