In this back-and-forth exchange, some bolder individuals began to speak up, suggesting that Prince Xuanqing was petty-minded, still harboring resentment after Noble Consort’s death, while the Seventh Prince was extremely filial, willing to apologize for his mother, yet Prince Xuanqing remained unrelenting.

Fu Yunxi stood silently in place, motionless. His snow-white garments fluttered slightly in the draft. After a long while, he finally spoke slowly: “Helping those in urgent need, feeling others’ pain?”

His breaking silence immediately silenced everyone. Fu Yunxi turned toward Zhuang Yushan, who was staying close to Wei Rufeng, and suddenly curved his lips into a smile.

Zhuang Yushan froze, instinctively feeling a chill, her body becoming rigid. Fu Yunxi’s features were cold, but his smile held a cruel playfulness. He said, “The Seventh Prince isn’t the only one who lost his mother at a young age.” Seeing Zhuang Yushan’s shrinking posture, he added, “Consort Wei seems to have forgotten that my Princess lost her mother just a year ago.” He looked at Zhuang Yushan, “Why didn’t I see the Consort rushing to help and share in that pain?”

His tone was as calm as water, yet each word carried a bone-chilling coldness, like an icy spring in the depths of winter, silently spreading frost through people’s hearts.

Under his questioning, Zhuang Yushan began to stammer, “How-how could I not? Fourth Sister and I are as close as sisters…”

“Speaking of the helpful Consort, if I remember correctly, your mother entered the Zhuang Manor just a year after Madam Wang’s death,” Fu Yunxi was determined not to give her any chance to recover. “And this Consort who claims to feel others’ pain recently became intimate with Young Master Wei just before he was to propose to Fourth Miss Zhuang.” He glanced at Wei Rufeng, “Which led to Fourth Miss refusing to become a concubine and making that bitter vow.”

The situation reversed instantly.

The affair between Zhuang Yushan and Wei Rufeng had many witnesses that day, and after deliberate spreading by interested parties, nearly everyone in the capital knew about it. When mentioned now, combined with how Madam Zhou entered the manor just a year after Madam Wang’s death, it carried unclear implications. In wealthy families with many children, the struggle between legitimate and illegitimate children never ceased. But stealing the legitimate daughter’s marriage prospect and trying to make her a concubine was going too far. No wonder Fourth Miss Zhuang made such a bitter vow. Now, people’s gazes toward Zhuang Yushan, and by extension Wei Rufeng, became somewhat strange.

Wei Rufeng was someone who cared greatly about-face. Seeing Fu Yunxi openly expose his affairs without any attempt to hide them, yet having no way to refute them, he was filled with anger. Then he saw Fu Yunxi smile faintly at him and say, “Thanks to the Young Master, I was able to marry Yan’er as my Princess.”

His intimate way of addressing her enraged Wei Rufeng, but then Fu Yunxi turned to the grieving Seventh Prince and Madam Chen, saying, “I can’t stop beasts from wagging their tails, just as I can’t stop the Seventh Prince from admitting guilt.” He stood with his hands behind his back, “As for whether Noble Consort Chen was truly guilty, Your Highness might want to ask why His Majesty is absent today.”

His Majesty’s absence was telling—Noble Consort Chen had been the most favored consort of the six palaces, yet after her death, the Emperor wouldn’t even come to see her. It seemed the earlier claims about Prince Xuanqing framing Noble Consort Chen were false. Otherwise, why would His Majesty not come?

In a spot hidden from others’ view, the Seventh Prince’s hand clenched into a fist at his side, still crying mournfully, but his eyes gained a sinister gleam.

Fu Yunxi walked to the doorway and casually threw back one last comment: “Additionally, after the late Emperor’s passing, in this world, except for His Majesty and the Empress Dowager, I can accept anyone’s kneeling.” With that, he left, his sleeves sweeping behind him.

What arrogance!

People watched that blade-like figure disappear into the distance, feeling somewhat frightened. Mu Feng, who had been watching everything from the shadows, finally jumped out and made a gesture to Fu Yunxi: “Master, you handled that brilliantly!”

That presence—even the Emperor himself couldn’t have done better. They wanted to bully the Princess, but the Prince threatened their entire family in response.

Meanwhile, in a certain inn in the capital, a tall man sat in a chair in the center of the room. “Did you see clearly?”

The beautiful young woman beside him nodded, “Brother, yes, it was them.”

The man, born with emerald green eyes, narrowed them now like a predator spotting prey: “Very good, Irina. Keep a close watch on their every move. When they take action, we can also get our share.”

The young woman nodded, “Understood, Brother.” Three green snakes wrapped around her honey-colored arms, flicking their red tongues.

Behind the capital’s seemingly peaceful prosperity, a storm was quietly brewing.

Soon after the start of the new year, the Spring Sacrifice day approached.

Han Yan had returned to the Zhuang Manor several days ago. Whatever Fu Yunxi had said to Zhuang Shiyang, this time upon her return, neither Zhuang Shiyang nor Madam Zhou gave her any trouble. No one set foot in Han Yan’s Qingqiu Court, not even Zhuang Hanming. Han Yan took the opportunity to rest quietly in Qingqiu Court. Shu Hong hadn’t returned with her, partly because the complex situation at the Zhuang Manor wasn’t conducive to Shu Hong’s recovery, and partly because the physicians at Prince Xuanqing’s Manor were naturally better than those at the Zhuang Manor. If Shu Hong could develop something with Fu Yunxi’s guard during this time, that would be even better.

Han Yan visited Concubine Mei once, finding that her life wasn’t as comfortable as imagined. Elder Madam Zhou visited Madam Zhou every few days, and somehow managed to bewitch Zhuang Shiyang, who still refused to elevate Concubine Mei to primary wife status.

This was within Han Yan’s expectations. Even without Elder Madam Zhou’s influence, Zhuang Shiyang wouldn’t easily promote Concubine Mei, as he cared deeply about appearances and wouldn’t make a lowborn foreign dancer his wife. Still, Han Yan was suspicious—Elder Madam Zhou’s frequent visits to the Zhuang Manor seemed to have a clear purpose.

On the morning of the Spring Sacrifice, Han Yan woke up early. Ji Lan and Madam Chen were discussing what clothes she should wear. Han Yan had never cared much about such things, but Madam Chen disagreed: “Now everyone in the capital knows that Miss is the person dearest to the Prince’s heart. If you don’t dress properly, those noble people will surely gossip.”

Han Yan shuddered at Madam Chen’s phrase “dearest to his heart,” knowing that recently, every time she appeared in public, she had to play her part completely. Now with so many people watching her closely, she wasn’t sure whether finding shelter under Prince Xuanqing’s great tree meant finding reliable protection or the beginning of trouble.

Ji Lan tilted her head to look at her: “Miss, His Majesty will be at today’s Spring Sacrifice too. It would be better to dress more beautifully.” She paused, “Don’t let Second Miss outshine you.”

Han Yan laughed, “What’s there to fear? We won’t even be standing together.”

Indeed, during ceremonies like the Spring Sacrifice, families stood together to watch. Zhuang Yushan, having married into the Wei Prince Manor, would stay with Wei Rufeng. Although Han Yan was Prince Xuanqing’s Princess, she hadn’t officially married yet, so she could only stand with Zhuang Shiyang.