Chapter 18: The Madly Obsessed Prince and the Pampered, Spoiled Princess (18)

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Chu Lanqing sensed trouble brewing and acted first: "Princess, you are becoming increasingly unruly. Return to your chambers and remain confined for half a month."

Trying to smooth things over?

Chu Yuan caught on to his intention. "Don’t be hasty, Third Brother. This matter could be either minor or grave, but ultimately, it stems from your failure to discipline properly."

An Le’s eyes betrayed her growing panic. "What does this have to do with Third Brother?"

Chu Yuan replied, "As the younger sister of the Third Prince, every word and action of yours reflects on his reputation; naturally, this concerns him."

He continued, "I shall bring this before His Majesty, and let the emperor decide who is at fault."

An Le’s face instantly turned deathly pale, instinctively protesting, "No... that’s not acceptable..."

Chu Lanqing bowed respectfully. "I shall obey His Majesty’s arrangements in all matters."

Chu Yuan ignored her and swept away with a flick of his sleeve.

Chu Lanqing turned to Zhaoyang and bowed. "An Le is immature; Your Highness mustn’t take it to heart."

Such hypocrisy—a wolf cloaked in the wolf’s clothing of false virtue.

Zhaoyang turned her head, and the glaring disgust in her eyes made Chu Lanqing’s poised smile stiffen for a moment before quickly recovering.

The noble ladies and young gentlemen observing the spectacle scattered like startled birds, none wishing to attract misfortune or trouble for their families.

Shu Yao stroked the hair beside her ear, leisurely remarking, "I too am weary. Let us depart."

As she left, Shu Yao deliberately brushed past Zhaoyang’s side, her gaze upon her like one surveying a tiny, insignificant ant.

"Truly hideous."

Those two words, laden with malice, shattered all of Zhaoyang’s carefully maintained dignity.

She lowered her eyes, biting her lower lip fiercely until a vivid line of blood appeared.

At that moment, the familiar system notification sounded clearly in her mind.

[ Ding! Congratulations, Host. Plot Point 2 — Dog’s Demise, Plot Point 3 — Scar’s Humiliation, completed. ]

Contrary to Shu Yao’s expectations—who had intended to use the wolf’s pelt insult to shame the heroine—she inadvertently triggered the third plot point as well.

Just as she wished.

Yet Shu Yao remained perplexed by the look Zhaoyang had given her at the end.

If before, Zhaoyang had perhaps harbored hope or resentment toward her, at that moment, all hope was utterly lost.

Was there something she had overlooked?

Given Zhaoyang’s temperament, she wouldn’t display such wounded expression over merely two words.

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Though gentle and submissive by nature, Zhaoyang would never be so fragile in spirit.

So Shu Yao scoured all the information provided by the system, until she paused on three inconspicuous lines of small text.

Damn!

She couldn’t help but curse.

The scar on Zhaoyang’s neck was left from saving the original owner.

In the ninth year of Chu He’s reign, the original owner was six years old, Zhaoyang seven.

At that time, the venomous blood of the malicious secondary female had yet to awaken within her. They had shared a truly beautiful period.

The original owner’s mother was the late Consort Yu. When Emperor Chu An had traveled south incognito, he fell in love at first sight with the only daughter of the local magistrate.

After giving birth to the original owner, the woman was granted the title Consort Yu and enjoyed the emperor’s favor for two years.

Two years later, Consort Yu died of a severe illness. The emperor then poured all his mourning and affection onto the original owner.

Having both lost their mothers, the original owner and Zhaoyang became close friends. The only difference was that one was a carefully nurtured rose, while the other was a weed anyone could pick.

At six years old, the original owner was playful and accidentally knocked over a candleholder. Scalding wax poured down toward her face.

It was Zhaoyang who used her body to shield the original owner.

As a result, a large red scar was left on her neck. Being born a lowly palace maid’s child, and losing her value for political marriage, the emperor’s attention to her dwindled even more.

By now, he had forgotten the gentle spring breeze of those days and even that he had a daughter named Zhaoyang.

All his efforts were invested in the original owner, intending to mold her into an obedient and beautiful political pawn.

No wonder when he punished her to kneel, he said to her those words:

[ You don’t want your mother to have any mishaps, do you? ]

At the time, she didn’t understand but nodded politely. Now, she realized that shameless emperor had been threatening her.

The original owner’s mother was long dead; the only threat to the original owner was her remains, her tomb.

Once the favored white lotus, she had become a bothersome mosquito’s blood, ultimately a tool to control the daughter.

And the princess whom Zhaoyang once risked her life to protect had now become a butcher willing to carve flesh with a knife.

Shu Yao propped her chin with her hand, sighing in frustration.

Not sad exactly, but undeniably somewhat pained.

She was a tattoo artist, accustomed to seeing countless girls driven mad by their pursuit of beauty.

Women beautify themselves for those they cherish; it is not merely a one-sided act of pleasing or conforming, nor is a woman’s worth defined by her appearance.

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She had never imagined that one day she would have to use cruel words to insult another woman’s looks.

The life of a venomous secondary female was truly not an easy one.

—

The crown prince and the fifth prince were both attacked by assassins simultaneously. Emperor Chu An dispatched many investigators; the bodies at the scene were all poisoned warriors, leaving no clues.

Finally, the Imperial City Guard found an extremely thin and long silver needle on the horse the fifth prince rode that day.

The needle had pierced straight through the horse’s ear into its brain. The intense pain caused the horse to panic and throw the fifth prince violently to the ground.

What shocked everyone was the needle’s origin.

The patterns engraved on its surface were clearly those commonly used by the Department of Garments.

In other words, the assassin targeting the two princes was very likely an insider.

The scope of suspects immediately narrowed. Emperor Chu An ordered a thorough investigation into all personnel who had entered or left the Department of Garments within the past month.

For a time, paranoia spread throughout the palace.

Known for his deep suspicion, Emperor Chu An preferred to err on the side of excessive punishment rather than letting anyone escape.

If he were to lose his temper and order the execution of everyone on the list, the palace would be awash in blood.

The list of names grew longer each day, while the fifth prince lay bedridden, refusing to awaken.

The imperial physicians said the prince’s fall had damaged his nerves; it was uncertain whether he would ever regain consciousness, or even survive.

Yet, Doctor Zhang dared not speak too bluntly. Having been in the palace so long, he knew better.

“The fifth prince’s injuries reach deep into his lungs; he still requires medicinal soup to sustain his life. Her Majesty need not worry excessively and must not fret to the point of harming herself.”

Half a month without seeing her, Empress Dowager Xiaode had aged considerably. The wrinkles trailing from her eyes down her neck highlighted the stark whiteness of her hair.

After the doctors withdrew, she affectionately took Shu Yao’s hand. Her finely applied rouge could not mask the sorrow etched between her brows.

“Jia Ning has arrived, please sit.”

Behind Shu Yao followed An Le, who should have been confined.

After the crown prince Chu Yuan reported the matter of An Le and Zhaoyang’s bullying, Emperor Chu An—already vexed by the assassin incident—vented his anger on Princess An Le and ordered her confined for a month.

Naturally, An Le could not remain idle and clung to Shu Yao, begging her to bring her out to meet the empress dowager.

Even if the scandal broke and involved Jia Ning, the emperor would surely turn a blind eye.