"Take me to see Your Highness."
Gu Sinjie, hearing Xiao Ruyi's request, bowed deeply again. "Please forgive me, Your Highness. His Highness is refusing to see anyone at the moment. His Highness's leg pain is flaring up, and the Prince is worried it might make Your Highness uncomfortable."
Xiao Ruyi stared coldly at Gu Sinjie upon hearing this explanation. It seemed less like a genuine reason and more like an excuse he had made up. However, Xiao Ruyi did not want to dwell on it.
"Very well. I hope Master Gu will inform me as soon as the Prince is feeling better." Xiao Ruyi forced a faint smile at Gu Sinjie.
Gu Sinjie smiled back. "Of course, Your Highness. Your Highness, this subordinate will escort you directly to the residence the Prince has prepared for you here in the Qin Prince's Residence. Ah... and this is Madam Su. She is the senior attendant who will serve and accompany you." Gu Sinjie glanced toward Madam Su, who immediately bowed and gave Xiao Ruyi a warm smile.
Xiao Ruyi returned the smile, and the group soon entered the Qin Prince's Residence. Xiao Ruyi observed every detail. This was truly a magnificent and beautiful princely residence; its size and splendor nearly rivaled the Imperial Palace. If Qin Wujing were not paralyzed, he would surely be one of the most sought-after eligible men among the noble families. Unfortunately, the severe injuries he sustained in the war three years ago had left his legs numb, and physicians predicted he would be permanently paralyzed.
Qin Wujing's prominence soon faded, but the late Emperor still rewarded him extraordinarily for his achievements. Funds from the Imperial Palace continued to pour in, and to protect his dignity, the late Emperor granted him full authority over more than half of the imperial troops. Even the current Emperor—who was his nephew—held only a quarter of them. Ever since that incident, Qin Wujing had withdrawn from public view and rarely left the Qin Prince's Residence.
Qin Wujing was the late Emperor's youngest younger brother. One year after his elder brother granted him such a great reward for his achievements, the late Emperor passed away. The Crown Prince, who was Qin Wujing's nephew, ascended the throne and became the current Emperor. This caused Qin Wujing's position as Qin Prince to rise even higher, since he was the Emperor's uncle. Even so, no noblewoman was willing to marry him. No matter how illustrious his title was, no one would want him if he was disabled.
Xiao Ruyi thanked Gu Sinjie before the guard took his leave after completing his task.
Xiao Ruyi was actually tired, but she still had to remain vigilant and gather information about the Qin Prince's Residence. This residence was completely closed off and seemed almost dead—there had been no news about the Qin Prince's Residence or Qin Wujing since the incident three years ago.
"Madam Su." Xiao Ruyi decided to gather information from Madam Su.
"Yes, Your Highness?" Madam Su replied politely, her face wearing the warm smile of a mother.
"How long have you worked at this princely residence?" Xiao Ruyi asked.
"In answer to Your Highness, I have worked here since Qin Prince first established this princely residence. Is there anything else Your Highness would like to ask?" Madam Su replied.
Xiao Ruyi nodded. "What is Qin Prince like? Please tell me anything you know about him."
Madam Su was stunned, staring at Xiao Ruyi in disbelief. Before seeing her in person, Madam Su had expected Xiao Ruyi to tremble in fear, drown in sorrow, refuse to meet Qin Wujing, and then shut herself away. But... Madam Su had been wrong. Xiao Ruyi looked calm and resolute instead. She had even asked Gu Sinjie about Qin Prince's whereabouts several times, and now she was taking the initiative to learn about her husband.
This pleased Madam Su, because it seemed their Prince had not been given a bad wife after all. Even so, Madam Su could not allow her happiness to overflow when she remembered the reason behind Xiao Ruyi's marriage to their Prince.
"The Prince is quiet and decisive. Although there have been many rumors claiming that His Highness is cruel and heartless, he actually values a person's efforts, whether great or small. His Highness also enjoys eating snacks such as steamed buns, because Consort Chen used to make them for Qin Prince."
Half an hour passed, and most of their conversation had been about Qin Wujing.
All right... Xiao Ruyi now had a rough idea of what Qin Wujing and this princely residence were like. It seemed... she could face it.
Xiao Ruyi's calm did not come from surrendering to the fate of being humiliated and cast aside. It came from the fact that there was no other way but to remain calm. She could not possibly kill herself—that would accomplish nothing. If she had to die, she would first clear her name, rise to a position of honor, and then make Xiao Liyue pay for the pain she had suffered while silencing the mouths of the nobles who had mocked her so carelessly. The entire Empire had to feel her fury.
Night fell. Madam Su stood guard outside the bedroom door. Xiao Ruyi sat alone on the bed, still wearing her full bridal attire, including the heavy accessories on her head and her face covering. She cursed Qin Wujing for taking so long to come remove her veil. If he still had not appeared by late at night, Xiao Ruyi intended to remove it herself and disregard the custom. For now, she was still being patient out of respect for the traditions established by their ancestors.
"Madam Su, can the Prince still not come?" Xiao Ruyi asked Madam Su in a tired voice.
Madam Su let out a brief sigh before answering, "Not yet, Your Highness. Should I—" Before Madam Su could finish, Xiao Ruyi interrupted her.
"Forget it, Madam Su. You can return to your room. I'm tired too."
Madam Su looked saddened, but since Xiao Ruyi had said so, she had no choice but to obey.
Madam Su returned to her room. After that, the guards from the Qin Prince's Residence took over watch outside Xiao Ruyi's bedroom.
Xiao Ruyi let out an exasperated sigh and lifted her bridal veil. At last, she could see freely. She stood and walked toward the vanity. One by one, she removed the golden accessories from her head, leaving only her long black hair, which fell freely down her back.
As she was about to walk back toward the bed, Xiao Ruyi's steps halted. Her eyes fixed on the closed bedroom window. Her heart beat faster, but not enough to cloud her thoughts. This was bad. She sensed someone outside her bedroom window.
Xiao Ruyi backed away, picked up the longest and sharpest hairpin, then continued toward the bed and lay down. Just as she began to close her eyes, she heard the window slowly opening—almost noiselessly, save for the gust of wind that entered from outside.
Xiao Ruyi felt a chill against her face. She could no longer bear to keep her eyes closed while feeling so uneasy. She quickly opened her eyes and pulled a pillow over her stomach, then raised her hairpin to knock away the dagger slashing toward her.
Her eyes widened when she saw a man dressed entirely in black standing beside her bed, holding a dagger high above his head as he prepared to plunge it into her body.
Clang!
Xiao Ruyi's parry succeeded. She quickly rose and leaped away from the bed. Damn it, she had forgotten to remove her outer garment before lying down! Her movements were slow because of the extremely heavy wedding gown.
The assassin charged toward Xiao Ruyi, making her heart pound even faster. She was not particularly skilled in martial arts—she could only manage basic self-defense, such as blocking and dodging.
Xiao Ruyi ran toward the dowry chest she had brought from the Xiao Estate. Nimbly, she opened the lid and took out a small glass bottle filled with mysterious powder. It was a poison that blurred the victim's vision and made their eyes burn before gradually weakening their muscles. She had obtained it from the Empress Dowager as a precaution.
Crash!
The glass bottle shattered with a sharp sound, and a cloud of poisonous powder spread throughout the room.
Xiao Ruyi tightly covered her nose with a piece of cloth from her clothes, then kicked open her bedroom door. The two guards stationed outside were startled. They had been dreaming sweetly just moments before, only to be suddenly awakened by the sound of Xiao Ruyi's door being kicked open.
"Run! The poison will spread out here!" Xiao Ruyi warned them as she continued running toward the front courtyard of her residence. However, before the two guards could comprehend her warning, they had already been affected by the poisonous powder.
"Assassin!" one of the guards outside Xiao Ruyi's bedroom shouted before his eyes finally closed and he fainted.
That shout threw the entire residence into an uproar. Madam Su hurried out of her room in search of Xiao Ruyi.
"Your Highness! Your Highness! Where is Your Highness?! Find His Highness! We have to protect Your Highness!"
Hearing Madam Su's voice, Xiao Ruyi immediately shouted, "Madam Su! I'm here!"
As soon as Madam Su heard Xiao Ruyi's voice, she ran toward the front courtyard. Her eyes were brimming with tears, and her body trembled.
"Your Highness... you... you're safe? Oh, thank goodness. Thank the heavens, thank the heavens..." Madam Su fell to her knees on the ground, sobbing.
Xiao Ruyi was stunned. Madam Su's reaction clearly showed how worried she had been for her. Xiao Ruyi's heart was touched despite herself.