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Upon arriving at the Princess Consort’s courtyard, Shang Ruoyi was led into the main hall after the servants announced her.
Inside, an elegant and dignified Old Princess sat solemnly in the seat of honor. The seat to her left was empty, while the Princess Consort sat to her right. Next to the Princess Consort was Zhang Yuzhi, Zhang Yiniang.
Shang Ruoyi walked in and properly served tea to the Old Princess and the Princess Consort.
“Now that you have married into our Dingguo Prince Residence, you are one of us. You must not harbor any ulterior motives—do you understand?” Though the words were admonishing, the tone was gentle.
Shang Ruoyi nodded in acknowledgment.
The Princess Consort then took out a jade bracelet and slipped it onto her wrist, smiling as she said, “Good child.”
She had been deeply moved by the events at yesterday’s wedding banquet.
“Thank you, Mother.”
Shang Ruoyi then turned her gaze to Zhang Yiniang, who was sitting nearby.
Zhang Yiniang made no move to stand and pay respects to Shang Ruoyi. Instead, she remained seated, looking at her with a hint of provocation.
Shang Ruoyi raised an eyebrow, a cold smile playing at the corners of her lips. Without a word, she turned and walked to her seat.
Zhang Yiniang’s smile stiffened slightly—she hadn’t expected Shang Ruoyi to completely ignore her.
As soon as Shang Ruoyi took her seat, she heard Zhang Yiniang give a light cough.
She pretended not to hear, sitting upright with a faint smile on her lips.
Zhang Yiniang’s obvious hint was utterly disregarded, which only fueled her irritation.
Zhang Yiniang came from a military family—her father had once been the prince’s deputy general. She was exceptionally beautiful and deeply favored by the prince. Under normal circumstances, she should have been elevated to the status of a secondary consort, but the Old Princess had never given her approval, so she remained a concubine to this day.
However, her treatment in the Royal Mansion had always been no different from that of a secondary consort.
Thus, she had long considered herself as one. Today, Shang Ruoyi’s actions were nothing short of a slap in her face.
“Becoming the Heir Apparent’s Consort certainly makes a difference. Even a lowly-born daughter can now strut around the Royal Mansion with such arrogance,” Zhang Yiniang remarked coldly, taking a sip of tea. “Truly, fate is different for everyone!”
Shang Ruoyi knew the comment was directed at her. She smiled and replied, “Indeed. A lowly-born daughter like me would never have dared to dream of such a day. Fate is determined by heaven—some are born noble, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they can hold onto their fortune.”
Zhang Yiniang’s smile vanished instantly.
“They say Prime Minister Shang is easygoing by nature, yet he somehow raised a daughter as sharp-tongued as you. No wonder the heir apparent favors you.”
“Appearances can be deceiving. My father may not be exactly as you perceive him, so it’s no surprise he has a daughter like me,” Shang Ruoyi replied, her lips curving into a smile. “Also, Zhang Yiniang, next time, please address me as the Heir Apparent’s Consort. After all, I am the legitimate wife of the heir apparent. Even if I were out of favor, that doesn’t mean just anyone can speak ill of me.”
Zhang Yiniang’s expression darkened, but the Princess Consort beside her looked delighted.
Ever since Zhang Yuzhi entered the mansion, she had enjoyed the prince’s favor. If not for the Princess Consort’s powerful maternal family, her position as the principal wife might have already been taken.
Her son rarely involved himself in household affairs, leaving her constantly overshadowed by Zhang Yuzhi in the Royal Mansion.
Today, someone had finally stood up for her.
The more she looked at this daughter-in-law, the more she liked her.
The Old Princess glanced at Shang Ruoyi but said nothing.
This granddaughter-in-law was quite impressive.
Zhang Yiniang slammed the teacup heavily onto the table.
Before she could speak, the Old Princess chuckled: “Your mother saw her once when she was very young. At that time, your maternal grandfather had just opened his first shop, and she accompanied him to the Royal Mansion to deliver fabrics. That little girl was quite clever and mischievous. What a pity she married your father.”
Zhang Yiniang had no choice but to swallow her words.
The Old Princess was clearly taking Shang Ruoyi’s side.
Shang Ruoyi was also taken aback, never expecting her mother to have such a connection with the Old Princess.
“Enough, I’m tired. Everyone may leave!” The Old Princess rubbed her temples, appearing weary.
Returning to her room, Shang Ruoyi immediately immersed herself in studying the Dimension.
Approaching the Spirit Spring, she recalled the voice that had appeared in her mind earlier.
She cupped her hands and took a sip. The water was incredibly sweet, far surpassing any mountain spring water she had tasted in the modern world.
Unable to resist, she drank several more mouthfuls.
As she stood up to explore other areas, a sudden, sharp pain erupted in her abdomen, quickly spreading throughout her body. It felt as though every bone and inch of skin was being scorched clean.
She curled up on the grass, her face deathly pale, with large beads of sweat dripping from her forehead. Moans of pain escaped her lips.
After what seemed like an eternity, she awoke from unconsciousness, staring blankly at the azure sky above.
Suddenly, a foul stench assaulted her senses, and Shang Ruoyi gradually regained clarity.
“What is this smell?” She tried to cover her nose, only for the odor to grow even more pungent.
She sat up abruptly and discovered her body covered in black sludge—the source of the revolting stench.
Recalling the excruciating pain she had just endured, she wondered if the Spirit Spring had purged the impurities from her body.
The stench hit her again, and Shang Ruoyi hastily plunged into the warm spring pool, scrubbing herself repeatedly until the filth was completely washed away.
She noticed her skin had become much smoother and more delicate than before, and her body felt extraordinarily light, as if she could float at any moment.
Could this be the legendary Marrow Cleansing and Meridian Purging?
Such things had only existed in myths, yet here she was, experiencing it firsthand.
Marveling at the wonders of the Dimension, Shang Ruoyi once again thanked the heavens for their favor.
In her previous life, she had been an atheist, dismissing such things as mere fantasy. Never had she imagined that reincarnation, time travel, and rebirth could be real.
In the following days, He Jingheng seemed to have vanished, not returning to the Royal Mansion. Shang Ruoyi was content with the peace.
She completely forgot about the customary bridal homecoming visit.
One morning, just after breakfast, she heard servants outside the courtyard announce: “The Heir Apparent.”
Shang Ruoyi frowned. What was he doing here?
Yuntian wheeled him into the room. He Jingheng looked at her back and sneered, “The Heir Apparent’s Consort certainly has the leisure to read books here.”
Shang Ruoyi turned around—this was the first time she had seen her nominal husband since their marriage.
Despite having encountered countless handsome men, Shang Ruoyi was momentarily stunned by the man before her.
Dressed in a black robe, his jet-black hair like satin, a high nose bridge, thin lips slightly pressed together, and sharply defined facial features. His narrow eyes carried an air of excessive aloofness. Even seated in a wheelchair, he exuded an aura of nobility and cool detachment.
What a dashing young man.
As she scrutinized He Jingheng, he was equally studying her.
I never expected that this Heir Apparent’s Consort would be so… breathtakingly beautiful, truly capable of toppling cities and kingdoms with a single glance.
“What does the Heir Apparent mean by that? Should I not be reading in the residence but rather practicing swordplay at the military camp?”
Shang Ruoyi’s words snapped He Jingheng out of his daze.