Li Weiyang’s carriage stopped at the city outskirts. She saw a nunnery reflected among lush trees, its red walls showing through the green leaves with both solemnity and mystery. Looking up, a plaque hung high above the nunnery inscribed with three characters: “Pure Heart Nunnery.” Several Buddhist nuns were sweeping before the nunnery. One old nun appeared to be in charge, originally directing them, but seeing carriages and horses approaching, she proactively came forward to inquire.

The old nun’s eyes fell on Zhao Yue and she nodded. “Benefactor, you are—”

Zhao Yue was about to speak when Li Weiyang had already stepped forward. “We’ve come to offer incense.”

The old nun nodded. “Please wait a moment, benefactor.” With that, she entered the nunnery. Before long, she brought out a middle-aged nun who smiled and said, “Benefactor, our Pure Heart Nunnery has a distinguished guest in residence. It’s inconvenient to receive outside visitors. There are other nunneries not far ahead—please be so kind as to go there instead.”

Li Weiyang smiled. “Reverend Mother, I know who the distinguished guest in the nunnery is. I’ve come specifically to visit her. Please be so kind as to announce me.”

The middle-aged nun hesitated. “Benefactor, this… is truly improper. This distinguished guest has been at our nunnery for nearly half a year and has never been willing to receive outside visitors. Please return.”

Zhao Yue frowned, but Li Weiyang’s smile remained gentle. “Reverend Mother, please don’t misunderstand. I mean nothing improper. It’s just that I once had an old connection with this distinguished guest. Passing through here and hearing she was in seclusion, I came specifically to visit. Please be accommodating and announce me.”

The middle-aged nun merely frowned, still seeming reluctant. Li Weiyang stepped forward, suddenly grasped her hand, and pressed a gold ingot into her palm. The nun was startled. Li Weiyang only smiled softly. “Ask her this: the noble has come to Yuexi—does her promise still count? It’s merely a small favor. Isn’t that so?”

The middle-aged nun laughed helplessly. “Very well, then please enter and wait, benefactor.”

Li Weiyang entered the nunnery gate, passed behind the Maitreya Buddha shrine, and ascended the wide steps. The Buddha hall was very magnificent, with incense and candles already brightly lit, and dozens of nuns wearing kasayas, striking bells and beating drums. The middle-aged nun smiled. “I’ll go ask. Benefactor, please worship Buddha first.”

The middle-aged nun went off on her own. Li Weiyang surveyed the nunnery. A young nun reciting sutras nearby came to attend to her, and seeing her interest, asked curiously, “May I ask where the benefactor comes from?”

Li Weiyang smiled without answering. The young nun grew even more curious. However, Li Weiyang had already begun examining the nunnery all around. Yuexi followed the old system of the previous dynasty’s Daxing imperial family—all the Emperor’s sons were enfeoffed as princes. Princes’ eldest sons and grandsons, upon reaching age ten, were enfeoffed as heir apparent and heir grandson, as the prince’s successors, hereditary through generations. It was said that during the Daxing dynasty, Yuexi established thirty princely mansions in total. Except for those “extinguished without sons” or “stripped of titles for crimes,” the other princely mansions continued hereditary succession without alteration until the dynasty’s fall—ninety-seven princes were enfeoffed in total. Of these ninety-seven princes, forty-five built princely tombs, all distributed near their respective mansions, leaving behind vast and complete tomb complexes. Each princely tomb was built in mountain and ridge areas near Dadu’s outskirts, following the mountain terrain without fixed rules, yet all extremely luxurious and magnificent. After the Daxing imperial dynasty’s fall, these many tombs became a great problem. Because the tomb area buildings all had green tiles and stone walls, carved dragons and phoenixes—prohibited items for commoners—plus the tomb’s inauspicious air, not only noble officials but even ordinary wealthy households were very taboo about them. No one wanted to purchase them—they could only be left as they were.

Under these circumstances, the Dali dynasty’s approach was to madly destroy all tombs left by the previous dynasty, completely demolishing and rebuilding them to eliminate the previous dynasty’s imperial energy. However, the Yuexi Emperor decreed that all tombs be converted into Buddhist halls and nunneries, and they must pay very heavy taxes to the state—completely different from Dali’s favorable treatment of monks and nuns. Like the temple called Taiping Temple that Li Weiyang had just passed, common people from a hundred miles around came to burn incense and pray for blessings. Even the stone road surface bore deep wheel rut impressions—clearly the incense offerings were at their peak, and the state treasury must be quite enriched. And this nunnery where she now stood was similarly so—the exterior was extremely luxurious, and the interior furnishings also very exquisite.

After a moment, the nun came to invite Li Weiyang, still showing some surprise. “The noble asks you to enter.” When Li Weiyang walked ahead, the nun immediately returned the original gold ingot to Zhao Yue. Zhao Yue was slightly surprised. The nun smiled. “We didn’t know your mistress was an old friend of the Princess. We’re truly sorry. Please forgive us, benefactor.”

Actually, one couldn’t blame Miaojing. After that person moved into the nunnery, she refused to see anyone—even when several current dynasty princesses arrived, they were turned away… And this visitor was beautifully featured with an elegant temperament, truly appearing of noble birth. Miaojing had thought she merely came to visit or curry favor out of admiration. However, when Princess Yongning heard those words, her expression changed and she immediately had her invite the person in—this visitor’s identity must be very special. But exactly what kind of identity could make a grand Dali princess show such an expression…

Li Weiyang walked all the way into the courtyard behind the nunnery. The scenery was even more luxurious than the front, even simulating the three immortal mountains of Penglai, Yingzhou, and Fangzhang with artificial landscape features—truly a paradise beyond the mortal world. Li Weiyang smiled slightly. Truly a nation’s princess—even coming for seclusion maintained such grandeur.

Soon she met an old acquaintance—Princess Yongning. Only this time, she no longer wore magnificent clothing but plain nun’s robes, as if deeply immersed in Buddhist ways, her face completely indifferent. Seeing Li Weiyang, she called herself “this humble nun” and only addressed her as “benefactor.”

Li Weiyang laughed, that smile carrying several parts of indescribable meaning.

“Princess, you look well. How have you been lately?” Li Weiyang said gently.

Princess Yongning looked at her and smiled. “This humble nun cultivates mind and nourishes nature here. What could be bad? Rather, benefactor—why did you leave your good county princess position to come to Yuexi?”

A maid beside them poured tea for Li Weiyang. Li Weiyang lowered her head for a glance—top grade bluish-green tea leaves, clearly the Princess’s days here were still very comfortable. She said indifferently, “Me? Naturally I have my purposes.”

Princess Yongning’s brows furrowed slightly. “This humble nun doesn’t understand.”

As a grand princess, she constantly said “this humble nun”—Li Weiyang shook her head. “His Majesty has already established the Eighth Prince as Crown Prince.”

Hearing this, Princess Yongning didn’t speak for a full half moment. After a long while, she said, “I should have anticipated this long ago. Father Emperor always loved Consort Rou so much, yet suddenly neglected her. So whether Third Brother or Seventh Brother, they were merely making wedding clothes for another.” At this moment, she had already changed her tone, no longer calling herself “this humble nun,” clearly speaking with an imperial family member’s voice—her state of mind was clearly very complex.

Li Weiyang smiled slightly. “Actually, Yuexi’s upper echelons should have known this news long ago. How is it that after so long, Princess still knows nothing?”

Princess Yongning sighed. “I’m now merely a living corpse. Who would specifically come tell me this news?”

Li Weiyang glanced at her, smiling yet not quite smiling. “Why did Princess come to this place?”

Princess Yongning said indifferently, “I came to fast and atone for this life’s sins, hoping to live a bit better in the next life.”

Li Weiyang, hearing this, said in surprise, “Princess previously donated money and did many good deeds. What sin do you have?”

Princess Yongning sneered coldly. “Everyone in this world has sins. If one wishes to cultivate a beautiful next life, one must constantly atone—Anning, you’re also someone whose fate is full of troubles. I advise you to also cultivate your Buddhist heart more, don’t think too much. If you have nothing else, you can also stay here and cultivate with me, counting it as praying for blessings in the next life.”

Li Weiyang suddenly laughed.

Yongning looked at her strangely. “What are you laughing at?”

Li Weiyang said in a clear tone, “Next life? I’m blind of heart—I only recognize this life, don’t look to the next. If I can’t live freely and happily in this life, why seek a next life!”

Princess Yongning said unhappily, “What kind of talk is this? My sincerity—”

“Sincerity? If Princess truly cultivated Buddhism, you should dismiss your servants, scatter all your wealth, shave your three thousand threads of worry. Look at yourself now—eating, wearing, using everything befitting a princess. What kind of Buddhist cultivation is this? I fear Princess’s body is in the Buddhist gate, but her heart is outside!” Li Weiyang said indifferently.

Her eyes were clearly gentle as water, yet Yongning felt that gaze like a beam of strong light, thoroughly illuminating her heart from beginning to end. She bit her teeth. “Different paths mean no mutual planning. I cannot persuade you, nor can you persuade me.”

Li Weiyang smiled. “Princess, you came here not to cultivate Buddhism, but to hide in peace, isn’t that so?”

Princess Yongning’s complexion changed drastically. She heavily threw her teacup to the ground—the jade cup instantly shattered into pieces, frightening all the maids in the room who knelt trembling on the floor. Princess Yongning said angrily, “Anning, you’re too discourteous!”

Li Weiyang sneered coldly. “May I ask—are you asking this as a princess, or as a nun? If you’re still a princess, naturally I should apologize to you, because I was disrespectful first. But if you’re a Buddhist, you should accommodate all the sins of a secular person like me. Please spare your precious words!”

Princess Yongning was so angry her face turned white. She was embarrassed for a long time without saying a word. Indeed, if she said she was Princess Yongning, Li Weiyang naturally should apologize to her. But if she said she was a nun, why should Li Weiyang apologize? She glared at Li Weiyang for a long while. However, the other party wore a completely unconcerned expression—she was so angry she nearly died. After a long while, she slowly calmed down, waved her hand at those maids and said, “Forget it. You all leave first.”

The maids looked at each other. Things had escalated to this point, yet this guest still wasn’t driven out—instead the Princess seemed to want to talk with her alone. Why was this? However, exchanging glances, none dared speak and quietly withdrew.

Yongning looked at Li Weiyang and sighed like a defeated rooster, losing the aloof coldness she had been feigning. “Anning, why mock me so? Do you know what kind of days I’ve lived since arriving in Yuexi?”

Li Weiyang looked at her and slowly said, “I’m all ears.”

Princess Yongning took a deep breath. “Only after arriving in Yuexi did I learn he had already married four beautiful secondary consorts, all from Yuexi’s famous families, each young and beautiful with formidable means. For the first two months after arriving, I still thought about tidying things up, re-establishing proper atmosphere. But later I discovered these people merely came to pay respects daily as if marking attendance—in their eyes, I was simply an ignored old waste. One secondary consort was especially formidable, relying on that bastard’s favor to make things difficult for me everywhere. Add that I’m a Dali princess with no connections to the other consorts, gradually excluded by the entire imperial family… It’s not that I didn’t want to stay there—I truly had no way to stay.”

Li Weiyang smiled. “Princess, is that all?”

Princess Yongning said through gritted teeth, “If it were only these things, that would be fine. That bastard, after returning from Dali, for some unknown reason didn’t touch women for a period. I thought he’d finally cultivated self-discipline. Who knew I later learned he was impotent… Afterward he sought medical treatment everywhere, finally finding a secret formula to cure his problem, then began intensifying even more shamelessly. How he carried on outside I could tolerate, as long as he didn’t impose on me. Who knew he set his sights on one of my closest female officials, insisting on taking her as a concubine. She came crying to me—I made a huge scene. He agreed on the surface, but behind my back resented that female official. Taking advantage of my absence, he actually sent her out to serve guests. She’d followed me since age eleven, a full eight years—how could she endure such humiliation? That very night she threw herself down a well.”

Princess Yongning’s so-called “serving guests” wasn’t simply attending to guests. Li Weiyang had long heard that Yuexi’s imperial family’s luxurious pleasure-seeking ways surpassed even Dali’s—the means by which imperial family members entertained each other were extremely shocking. One practice was presenting beautiful maids from their households to guests as a way of cultivating favor and entertainment. Some fortunate women would be favored by nobles and brought back to become concubines, but most became household courtesans, repeatedly receiving new guests. However, such women were usually lowborn maids or entertainers bought from outside. But sending a proper consort’s female official out to entertain at banquets was truly absurd—clearly deliberate revenge. One could see what a petty person this Yuan Yu was.

Li Weiyang’s eyes were clear without a trace of shadow, childishly innocent yet also clear with a power to devour people’s hearts. “Princess wouldn’t have broken with Prince Yan merely because of that female official.”

Yongning paused for a very long time before continuing. “The next day when I learned of this, I was extremely angry and went to confront him. We got into an argument unintentionally—” Her voice grew lower and lower until inaudible. “I fell down the steps. I immediately saw blood… That male fetus had already formed, yet was forcibly separated from my flesh and blood… If born, he’d be calling me mother by now…”

Yongning’s voice was placed extremely gently, her tone not even containing a ripple, speaking so lightly and simply as if this were a very ordinary matter. Yet within it seemed to contain towering hatred, like the stillness before tremendous waves arrive.

Li Weiyang sighed. “Princess is truly kindhearted—even after such an incident you can forgive Prince Yan.”

Yongning laughed mockingly as if hearing the world’s most laughable thing. “Forgive him? I wish I could devour his flesh and blood to pay for my child’s life!”

Li Weiyang smiled slightly. “If so, what is Princess doing here?”

Yongning forcefully tore off the prayer beads in her hand. Li Weiyang only heard the beads scatter all over the floor with a clatter. Princess Yongning’s eyes held a trace of fierceness. “You think I’m doing what here! If I could avenge my child, would I need to be a living corpse here?!”

Li Weiyang looked at a branch of plum blossoms in the pearl vase beside them. “So Princess didn’t come for seclusion but to hide. Watching your enemy with your own eyes living dissolutely and indulgently—Princess’s heart naturally suffers.”

Yongning’s heart was in extreme pain, yet she smiled. “Of course I suffer. If I were still in Dali, I’d have long since asked Father Emperor to grant him death. I’d rather be widowed again than look at that dissolute and shameless face!”

Li Weiyang smiled faintly. “Since things have come to this, much talk is useless. Since Princess is in seclusion here, Weiyang won’t disturb further. I’ll take my leave now.” With that, she stood up.

Princess Yongning hadn’t expected her sudden departure and looked at her in astonishment. Li Weiyang’s smile remained unchanged. “If fate allows, we’ll meet again.”

Watching Li Weiyang truly walk out without the slightest reluctance, Yongning snapped back to awareness, rose from her chair and called loudly, “Stop!” However, Li Weiyang didn’t look back and continued walking out. Princess Yongning hurried to chase, accidentally knocking over the table beside her, mistakenly toppling the foot-tall white jade Guanyin from the Buddhist shrine to the ground—the mutton-fat white jade broke into several pieces with a loud crash. However, Yongning didn’t even glance at the white jade Guanyin, quickly blocking Li Weiyang’s path. “Anning, you came here to ask my help, didn’t you? Then why won’t you ask me?”

Li Weiyang smiled. “No, I have nothing to ask of Princess.”

Yongning’s eyes suddenly turned fierce like a beast whose food had been stolen. She bit her teeth for a moment before finally making up her mind. “Fine. No matter what you want me to do, I’ll help you. But I want Yuan Yu’s life! Can you make that happen?”

Whoever spoke first would be at a disadvantage in this transaction, and what Li Weiyang wanted was absolute dominance. Speaking so many words with Princess Yongning was similarly for this point. Li Weiyang laughed. “I hope Princess won’t feel heartbroken in the future.”

Yongning sneered coldly. “If you tasted my pain, you’d know whether I’d feel heartbroken!”

Li Weiyang sighed. “Princess, please believe me—I will help you. But you must listen to me.”

Looking into those pitch-black bottomless eyes, Princess Yongning shuddered. At this moment, she suddenly had an illusion of selling her soul. However, thinking of her child, thinking of that day-and-night tormenting pain, she solemnly nodded.

Li Weiyang smiled. “Then please Princess pack your belongings and return to Prince Yan’s manor as soon as possible. When the time is right, I’ll come find you.”

In Yuexi, Princess Yongning naturally couldn’t move freely as in Dali, but Yuexi’s imperial family similarly had to be mindful of her status. As long as the Dali Emperor remained on the throne, he would guarantee his daughter’s position as Prince Yan’s consort. So Yuan Yu didn’t dare directly turn against Yongning—he only dared use various despicable means to torment her, venting his resentment at being forced to marry her. Having grievances but not daring to retaliate against the Emperor, only daring to take it out on a woman—such a man was simply despicable to the extreme.

Princess Yongning was somewhat uneasy. “You… you’ll truly help me take revenge?”

Li Weiyang smiled, gently grasping her hand. “Princess, I hope for Yuan Yu’s death even more than you do. Please believe me.”

Those hands were icy cold yet very strong. Princess Yongning had witnessed Li Weiyang’s ruthlessness. At this moment she breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. I’ll wait for you.”

The nuns, hearing the Princess would leave, were immediately shocked. Worried this financial patron would leave and never return, causing their nunnery to lose its greatest economic pillar, they immediately rushed over to dissuade her. But Princess Yongning had already changed back into magnificent clothing and said coldly, “Enough. No need for more words. My mind is made up.”

“But Princess, you clearly said you’d stay here to… to chant sutras and pray for him, letting him be reborn into a good family…”

Princess Yongning’s gaze fell on that broken white jade Guanyin. She suddenly walked over, lifted the incense burner beside her, and like a madwoman smashed it toward the white jade Guanyin until completely shattering the statue—as if smashing her faith. The nuns watching from the side were shocked beyond words. Yongning sneered coldly, threw down the incense burner in her hands and said, “Even if I chant here for a hundred years, he won’t come back to life. That person still lives happily and freely. Tell me, how can I be willing…”

In her eyes burst intense hatred, making the nun even more frightened…

In the bustling marketplace, several luxurious sedan chairs stopped at Tianxiang Garden’s entrance. A group of finely dressed and spirited young nobles entered the opera house. The leader was extremely young, wearing magnificent crimson robes, phoenix brows and refined eyes, vermillion lips and jade nose—his exquisite features were so perfect not a single flaw could be found. Who else could it be but Yuan Yu?

The moment Yuan Yu stepped into the main hall, the troupe master hurried over upon hearing the news, his voice still carrying unbelievable wild joy. “That Prince Yan honors us with his presence truly fills this commoner with immense joy!” Such an extremely respectful attitude couldn’t earn even a glance from Yuan Yu. He coldly surveyed the surrounding environment. A servant beside him had already scolded, “Why don’t you quickly prepare the finest private box for His Highness!”

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” The troupe master grinned broadly. “Please Your Highness move upstairs. This humble one will prepare immediately.” Actually his heart was very uneasy. Today a third-rank official had requested Wen Xiaolou to perform for his mother’s birthday celebration. With the pillar performer absent from the troupe, others could be fooled, but with Prince Yan coming, what should he do? Thinking back and forth, he slapped his thigh as an idea came to mind.

Beside Prince Yan Yuan Yu, besides Xue Gui, son of the Minister of Revenue who always loved visiting opera gardens, there was also a young man with an upright bearing. His eyes, merely sweeping over someone once, emitted sharp cold light that made people’s hearts tremble. Though he stood among this group similarly in brocade clothing and fine silk, he wore a long sword at his waist, seemingly out of place.

Yuan Yu had just seated himself when he heard the gong sound and the opera begin. This opera told of the previous dynasty’s most famous dancing girl who admired a general, rushed to join him at night, and finally became a first-rank lady. Yuan Yu had come today specifically to seek opera troupes for Empress Pei’s birthday banquet. Having visited over a dozen opera venues, he was already thoroughly sick of watching. At this moment he merely forced himself to maintain spirit, barely suppressing his anger. Just then he saw a beautiful female role performer take the stage with lotus steps, accompanied by nomadic flutes. That female role had only sung a few lines when Yuan Yu suddenly threw down a silver ingot from his private box, hitting her squarely. “Stop all that whining and wailing. If there’s no fresh entertainment, this lord will directly smash your venue!”

That female role performer froze, then lowered her head to look at the silver, thought a moment, spoke a few words to the troupe master. After a while, the music changed. Originally this scene was a civilian opera, all lyrics. Knowing the noble didn’t like it, she moved the climactic drunken dance scene from later to the beginning. Accompanying the melody, she lightly waved her water sleeves and began dancing. The tune started very slowly, so her dance movements were gentle without large body movements—only lightly dancing water sleeves combined with small steps. Looking on, she was like a weak willow in wind, a lotus in water. After a sob-like drumbeat lightly tapped through, the drum sounds began becoming thunderous, directly striking people’s hearts. The female role performer on stage immediately changed the speed of her movements, using supreme water sleeve techniques, continuously spinning. Her spread skirt hem floated in the venue like colorful clouds, rising and falling, up and down, dazzling the eyes.

The opera on stage performed bustlingly and extraordinarily. Xue Gui, son of the Minister of Revenue seated beside Yuan Yu, leaned close with a smile. “How is this woman? Just now I specifically asked—she’s a minor female role performer, newly arrived in Dadu. If Your Highness has such intentions, heh heh heh…”

Yuan Yu smiled. This young female role performer excelled at both singing and acting—not only was her voice marvelous, but her figure was also extremely alluring.

“Call her up!” Yuan Yu lightly tapped his own palm with his fan.

Inside the adjacent private box, Li Weiyang frowned. “Where did Wen Xiaolou go? Why is it Xiaoman? What about the other female role performers?”

Zhao Yue said quietly, “Boss Wen went out today. Those people specifically requested to hear Drunken. The troupe master said only Xiaoman could sing this opera vividly and realistically…”

“Nonsense!” Li Weiyang’s teacup hit the table heavily.

Zhao Yue hadn’t expected her sudden anger and was startled. “Miss, what’s wrong!”

Li Weiyang’s face was grim. “Yuan Yu is fundamentally a lustful person. If Xiaoman is seen by him—” Her mind rapidly turned. Actually, using Xiaoman, she could more quickly achieve her purpose. But Xiaoman—fundamentally wasn’t that kind of person. Thinking of Xiaoman’s smiling face when playing with Minzhi, Li Weiyang suddenly stood up. “Zhao Yue, go do something for me.”

Zhao Yue looked at Li Weiyang, growing even more puzzled.

The troupe master forcibly pushed Xiaoman to meet the guests. Xiaoman had rarely taken the stage before and seldom saw people. Hearing nobles wanted to see her, for the moment she didn’t think much of it. She hadn’t had time to remove her makeup—with temple ornaments and rouge and powder, she appeared even more like a jade beauty. That exquisitely carved beauty immediately captured everyone’s attention.

The troupe master handed a wine cup to Xiaoman. “Go pour wine for Prince Yan.” Xiaoman frowned, but thinking of that silver ingot—they had given such a heavy reward—she couldn’t just turn and leave. So she lowered her head and earnestly went forward to pour wine. However, Yuan Yu didn’t immediately reach out to accept the wine cup in Xiaoman’s hand, only staring straight at her face, his eyes flickering uncertainly.

Xiaoman was always innocent but not foolish. Seeing such a gaze, she immediately felt something wrong and quietly stepped back. Who knew Yuan Yu immediately stood up, walked toward her. Whether deliberately or accidentally, he took too large a step and actually stepped on her shoe, trampling off the pearl ornament. Everyone burst into laughter. Cold sweat broke out on the troupe master’s forehead. For those who came out singing opera, such casual flirtation was unavoidable, but Xiaoman was too pure—she’d probably be unable to bear it.

Everyone laughed except that handsome cold man watching this scene, his eyes revealing a trace of mockery. He toyed with the wine cup in his hands, smiling yet not quite smiling, looking like he was watching a good show.

Xiaoman retreated two steps consecutively. Yuan Yu laughed loudly and was about to forcibly reach out to embrace her when a guard rushed up anxiously. “Your Highness, the back of the opera garden is on fire!”

Yuan Yu, hearing this, immediately changed color. Looking back, he indeed saw what seemed like firelight behind the private box. He snorted through his nose—”Truly disappointing”—then flicked his sleeves and left. The others, seeing this situation, also followed and left.

Only then did Xiaoman breathe a sigh of relief.

In the adjacent private box, Li Weiyang watched Yuan Yu rapidly departing and sneered coldly. But just then, she suddenly saw a very familiar back among that group of magnificently dressed young lords. She walked forward several steps, stood by the window, her gaze slightly narrowing. “So you’re here after all—”

Zhao Yue, hearing this, looked at Li Weiyang very strangely. “Who does Miss mean?”

Li Weiyang sneered coldly. “Jiang Nan.”

“Jiang Nan?” Zhao Yue was even more shocked. “Isn’t he—” Then she suddenly understood.

“You understand?” Li Weiyang glanced at her, coldness revealing in her eyes. After Old Madam and Tan Shi died, she had constantly searched everywhere for famous physicians to treat Minzhi, but after half a year passed without improvement. At the same time, she had been thinking—who exactly was the murderer? At first there were no clues, but later one day, she suddenly recalled the scene before Jiang Hua’s death. He had smiled very strangely then, as if saying: Li Weiyang, you think you’ve won, but you haven’t truly won. She understood Jiang Hua too well and immediately thought he might have already anticipated that massacre. But if Jiang Hua was the mastermind, after his death such a tragedy wouldn’t have occurred again. The only possibility was that Jiang Hua borrowed someone else’s hands to kill her relatives. Those she left by their side were all first-rate experts—to kill everyone without even leaving traces of a fight, there was only one possibility: Yuexi’s secret guards.

But Princess Anguo’s secret guards were already dead, and the only survivor, Grey Slave, Li Weiyang had sent away according to their original agreement. This meant only one possibility—the murderer came from Yuexi. Who had such hatred toward her besides Yuan Yu? But if he had such ability to mobilize numerous secret guards, he wouldn’t have been toyed with by her in Dali. Then—the target was only one person: Empress Pei. Residing in Yuexi, according to reason, she couldn’t possibly know about Princess Anguo’s affairs so quickly, much less immediately take action. So someone must have told her. And Jiang Hua was that person. But he had always lived alone in the Jiang manor, pretending to be mad and foolish—exactly who acted as go-between for him? This point Li Weiyang had constantly pondered, but seeing that back today, she suddenly understood.

Jiang Nan, forced by her into having nothing, faked his death to escape, yet could never rise again. But what if he changed locations, changed identities? She just hadn’t imagined the dignified young general would actually get mixed up with the dissolute Prince Yan Yuan Yu. Truly: after wearing out iron shoes in fruitless search, finding it takes no effort at all! The more disreputable the place, the easier to collect the most useful intelligence!

That evening, Xiaoman again came to the estate to care for Minzhi. Li Weiyang watched her cheerful smiling appearance yet said, “Leave Dadu tomorrow morning. Never come back again.”

Xiaoman was startled, then saw Zhao Yue hand her a bundle. She frowned. “What’s wrong?”

Seeing Li Weiyang still appeared confused and unknowing, she said, “Inside this bundle is enough silver for your medical treatment. Leave with your brother—go as far as possible and never return to Dadu.”

Xiaoman was even more confused, but seeing Li Weiyang’s solemn expression, not at all like joking, she said, “Brother has just established a foothold in Dadu. He won’t easily leave.”

Li Weiyang sneered coldly. “If Wen Xiaolou had taken the stage today it would be fine, but it was you. Things Prince Yan Yuan Yu sets his sights on, he always obtains. Though you luckily escaped this time, what about next time? Can you still be so fortunate?”

Xiaoman wasn’t stupid and immediately guessed the key point. She said in surprise, “That fire was set by you?”

Li Weiyang nodded. “Yes, I set it.”

Xiaoman knew Li Weiyang did this to help her escape the predicament, but hadn’t imagined things would be so serious. She hesitated. “Alright, I’ll wait for brother to return and discuss with him.”

Li Weiyang looked at her, her eyes slowly showing a trace of fluctuation. “You don’t want to become a caged bird in Prince Yan’s manor, do you?”

Xiaoman was frightened and hurried to say, “No, no, I don’t want that!”

“Then leave here as quickly as possible.” Li Weiyang reminded, “Don’t hesitate and waver.”

Xiaoman thought for a long time, turned back to look reluctantly at Minzhi. She still owed Li Weiyang a life—having to leave before repaying it. Who knew when she could return after this departure? What should she do? Li Weiyang had already stuffed that bundle into her arms. “Alright, you should go now.”

Xiaoman pushed the bundle back. Li Weiyang shook her head. “Without silver, your elder brother won’t be willing to leave.”

Xiaoman thought about it—this was indeed fact. Elder brother desperately earned money precisely to treat her illness. Without this sum of money, he couldn’t possibly agree to abandon such a currently thriving troupe… But she already owed Li Weiyang so much. The troupe was supported by her money to become popular. If she now accepted more gifts, she’d probably have a guilty conscience her entire life.

Rather than elder brother refusing to leave, better she leave herself! Xiaoman made up her mind. Holding the bundle, she walked to the door but suddenly stopped, placed the bundle on the table, and stood in place hesitating for a long time, her eyes reddening. Li Weiyang looked at her strangely, not knowing what was wrong, then saw Xiaoman take out a string of prayer beads from her neck, kiss them on her lips before handing them to Li Weiyang. “Since childhood I’ve wandered performing—I don’t know any grand principles, speak coarsely, and have nothing valuable on me. These prayer beads were hanging on me when I was abandoned as a baby—they’re not valuable things, but give them to Miss as a keepsake.”

Li Weiyang froze, glanced at those prayer beads—indeed very ordinary sandalwood beads. She shook her head. “These beads would be useless with me. You should take them with you.”

Xiaoman smiled. “If I just leave like this, I’ll be uneasy my whole life. These prayer beads… I earnestly hope Miss will accept them. I hope they can bless Miss to achieve her heart’s wishes and have a peaceful life.”

Li Weiyang saw her reluctant expression yet sincere heart. Thinking about it, she said, “Then I thank you.”

Xiaoman’s eyes held tears yet she smiled very happily. Then she walked to Minzhi’s side, touched his face. Minzhi still lowered his head, not looking at her once. Xiaoman wasn’t disappointed. She smiled at Li Weiyang once more, turned and left.

Zhao Yue glanced at the bundle. “Truly a foolish girl—probably doesn’t know how much silver Miss gave her.”

Li Weiyang touched those smooth prayer beads. “Not everyone in this world loves money.” These prayer beads felt very smooth—clearly Xiaoman’s most treasured possession. She said these beads could bless her to achieve her heart’s wishes. She hoped so. Thinking this, Li Weiyang casually strung them into a bracelet and placed it on her own wrist.

Under the candlelight, these prayer beads strangely shone with a faint luminescence, as if that radiance penetrated from inside the beads. Only at this moment Li Weiyang didn’t notice…

Early the next morning, Minzhi had some fever, so Li Weiyang didn’t go to the opera house. Originally she had supported the troupe to successfully meet Princess Yongning. Now having met the person, there was no need to be further entangled with them. But discovering that day that both Yuan Yu and Jiang Nan appeared at the troupe, Li Weiyang immediately became interested. Though Wen Xiaolou had left, it didn’t prevent her from making several other performers famous and using this troupe to gather more useful intelligence. However, when evening came and she reached the opera house, she saw a crowd of people gathered, craning their necks looking at something.

“Take the back entrance,” Li Weiyang instructed.

The carriage entered the opera house’s back entrance. She saw the stage wasn’t set up—inside not a single customer, completely empty. Li Weiyang’s face normally wore a veil—those actors and customers couldn’t see her at all. Those who had seen her face were merely Wen Xiaolou, Xiaoman, and the troupe master—a scant few people. At this moment, the troupe master, seeing her arrival, immediately came forward with a mournful face. “Miss, how did all the world’s unlucky events happen to us! People say glass is fragile, beautiful dreams difficult to realize—how could Heaven be so muddled as to torment all those wonderful people into nothing! A perfectly good girl went to sing at a private banquet and just like that was gone!” His appearance was one of heartbroken grief.

Li Weiyang’s heart sank. “Who are you talking about?” In a flash of insight, she suddenly thought of something, quickly strode toward the wing room. When she saw the scene inside, she froze. Wen Xiaolou held Xiaoman, already like a wooden person. Xiaoman was covered in blood, one exposed pale arm full of bruises and bloodstains…

Li Weiyang whirled around sharply and said sternly, “What exactly happened!”

The troupe master, looked at by Li Weiyang’s pitch-black eyes, felt only oppressive cold and shrank back somewhat. “Earlier Xiaoman quietly came to bid me farewell, saying she didn’t want to implicate Wen Xiaolou and wanted to leave the troupe alone. I… I told Xiaoman we’d spent quite a bit of money treating her illness. I had her finish one last private banquet performance, then from then on she’d have no more connection to the troupe. Who knew she went properly to sing opera but somehow was seized by Prince Yan. She stubbornly refused to comply. That prince was also sinful—he actually threw her to the manor’s guards to torment to death. When carried back she was no longer in human form… I was afraid she’d think dark thoughts and put away all the sharp objects, but who knew this girl actually shattered a teacup, tried to cut her throat but failed, then used her hands to pound, pounding until her hands were bloody. Then disregarding everything, she held porcelain shards and swallowed them into her mouth…”

Li Weiyang raised her hand and viciously slapped the troupe master, actually beating him until his mouth was full of blood. The troupe master looked at Li Weiyang in shock, almost unable to speak.

Li Weiyang’s voice was infinitely cold, utterly unlike the usual amiable wealthy young miss. “Whose private banquet!”

“Lin’an… Lin’an Princess’s manor…” The troupe master stared dumbfounded, terrified beyond measure.

Princess Lin’an—that was Empress Pei’s eldest daughter. At her banquet, how could Prince Yan Yuan Yu possibly not attend! Truly damnable!