Hearing Madam Han’s accusations, the crowd immediately burst into chatter, none of them having imagined that this woman could be the Prime Minister’s concubine-born daughter, Han Ziqing!

No wonder she was so beautiful—everyone recalled that although Han Ziqing’s mother had been a second-tier wife, she had once been the number one beauty of the capital!

The moment they learned Ziqing’s identity, the onlookers’ expressions immediately shifted.

“How could this be the Second Young Lady? This… how will she ever be able to marry now!”

“The dignified Second Young Lady of the Prime Minister’s household, behaving so disgracefully, corrupting public morals! Forget marriage—I’d say she might as well not go on living at all!”

“Such a shameless wretch, she deserves to be drowned in a pig cage!”

“Drowning is too merciful for her—she should be sentenced to the punishment of sealing, as a warning to others!”

…

“Han Ziqing, this household has no daughter like you. Today I will ruin this face of yours, so you can never disgrace this household again!”

Madam Han seemed unable to wait any longer, her expression twisted with furious disappointment, as she suddenly drew out a dagger. “Someone, hold her down for me!”

“None of you are qualified enough!”

Unexpectedly, Ziqing, who had remained silent all this while, suddenly spoke in a voice so sharp and icy that it startled the guards into freezing where they stood, not one of them daring to step forward.

She covered her face and slowly lifted her head, sweeping the crowd with a pair of cold, blade-sharp eyes. Everyone gasped, involuntarily stepping back, shaken by the chill in her gaze.

Madam Han, too, was startled, vaguely sensing something was wrong, and immediately barked out in anger, “Han Ziqing, do you still have something to say for yourself?”

With Prince Yao coming soon to the Prime Minister’s residence to select a consort, Han Ziqing, though only a concubine’s daughter, possessed a beauty that could topple cities and ruin kingdoms. Consort Yi herself had mentioned it not long ago—Ziqing’s very existence was undoubtedly a threat to Xi’er, and regardless of how great that threat was, she was determined to eliminate it entirely for her daughter’s sake.

She meant to see Han Ziqing’s chastity utterly ruined, her reputation disgraced beyond redemption, never to recover.

“I have no interest in speaking with you,” Ziqing said coldly. Her figure flickered, and in an instant, she closed the distance to Madam Han, one hand seizing her by the throat, while the other—protecting the white gauze wrapped around her body—tore off Madam Han’s outer robe in a flash and wrapped it around herself.

“Han Ziqing, how dare you…”

Madam Han cried out in shock, but before she could finish speaking, Ziqing had already seized her dagger, tightening her grip on her throat, and began pushing her forward, marching her in the direction of the Prime Minister’s residence.

“Let go of me… you insolent girl… Han Ziqing, you…”

Madam Han, choked and unable to struggle free, couldn’t even force out another word, her powdered face flushing crimson. The guards rushed after them, swords leveled and ready to strike, yet five or six guards with five or six swords proved no match for Ziqing wielding just a single dagger!

“Second Young Lady, stop this at once!”

“Second Young Lady, you mustn’t be disrespectful to Madam! Stop immediately, or we won’t hold back!”

“Second Young Lady, don’t be so reckless—whatever the matter is, let’s talk it through properly!”

…

Ziqing ignored every threat and plea from the guards entirely, fighting them off with one hand while dragging Madam Han hostage through the busiest street in the capital with the other, marching straight toward the Prime Minister’s residence.

The crowd of onlookers and followers grew larger and larger, half the capital stirred into an uproar, yet Ziqing paid it no mind at all.

She had always done as she pleased, always settled scores swiftly and without hesitation, no matter where she was or what identity she wore. This era’s obsession with a woman’s chastity didn’t mean she intended to let the matter go quietly, nor did she have any intention of marrying well here anyway. If Han Xi’er wanted to stir up a scandal that would shake the whole capital, then so be it—she would play along to the very end. That slap from Madam Han, added to the debt owed by Han Xi’er, she intended to repay both mother and daughter a hundredfold.