Chu Feiyan arriving early, with no one having received advance notice—how could that possibly be?

Upon careful inquiry, Ziqing learned that Chu Feiyan had broken away from her main escort party, traveling to the capital alone. Given her exceptional horsemanship, a journey that would normally take five or six days had taken her only two. The guard captain assigned to escort her had pursued her day and night without rest, only managing to catch up and deliver word once Chu Feiyan had stopped to rest for half a day.

Ziqing sat in the main hall, expression blank. Forget going to greet her at the city gates—if she could have avoided it entirely, she wouldn’t even have wanted to see Chu Feiyan at all.

But with Jun Beiyue away, she naturally had to play the role of host—especially since Chu Feiyan’s status now was entirely different from before.

“My lady, by proper etiquette… we really should go greet her at the city gates,” the captain said quietly.

Ziqing didn’t answer, instead asking, “Is she so eager to get married? Why arrive so early?”

“The Princess Imperial… the Princess Imperial said…” the captain stammered.

“Just say whatever you have to say. Don’t waste my time,” Ziqing said flatly.

“Yes, reporting to my lady—the Princess Imperial said she wishes to stay at the Prince Yao’s estate for a few days before the wedding.” The captain spoke timidly, but reported honestly at once. The fact that the Princess Imperial had personally requested this political marriage was already common knowledge throughout the capital. And now, with her status entirely changed, she really should have been avoiding any appearance of impropriety—yet she insisted on staying at the Prince Yao’s estate instead, practically inviting gossip and scandal!

Ziqing’s brow furrowed immediately. Chu Feiyan wanted to stay at the Prince Yao’s estate? She was overthinking this situation considerably!

“What accommodations did His Highness arrange?” Ziqing asked further.

“The same envoy’s residence as before, my lady. By rights, since His Highness already agreed to Prince Nanzhao’s request, he should personally go out to greet her at the city gates. After all, the Princess Imperial isn’t merely a princess anymore—she’ll soon be Nanzhao’s most favored consort,” the captain advised further.

Yet Ziqing remained entirely unmoved. “‘Soon’ isn’t ‘now.’ Consort Yi and the Second Prince have already gone to receive her—isn’t that enough? If this consort goes as well, wouldn’t that be an embarrassment to Great Zhou’s dignity?”

The captain still wanted to press the matter, but just then Hongyi came rushing in urgently. “My lady, Chu Feiyan has come to the estate directly, along with Consort Yi, the Second Prince, and Prince Baxian as well! This servant couldn’t stop them—they’re all waiting in our main hall already!”

Ziqing was momentarily stunned, then asked, “When will His Highness return?”

“Estimated in three or four days. Someone has just been sent to report.”

Hearing Hongyi’s words, Ziqing asked nothing further, rising and heading toward the main hall.

The main hall of the Prince Yao’s estate had never been so lively before. From a distance, Ziqing could already see the main gate thrown wide open, both sides crowded with guards belonging to Consort Yi and the Second Prince!

These two seemed so fiercely protective of their guest—why hadn’t they simply brought Chu Feiyan into the palace instead?

Ziqing sneered inwardly, striding forward. But no sooner had she reached the doorway than a teacup came flying out without warning, striking her squarely on the head!

Ziqing stopped in her tracks, gently touching her forehead, and immediately felt something sticky and wet—blood!

“Oh my, Princess Yao, how could you…” Consort Yi hurried out quickly. Hearing the commotion, the Second Prince and Prince Baxian rushed out as well, and upon seeing Ziqing’s bloodied forehead, they were all thoroughly alarmed!

If Jun Beiyue returned to find her injured like this, what consequences would follow!

Prince Baxian angrily scolded the stunned Hongyi standing nearby. “What are you standing around for? Fetch the physician at once!”

Before Ziqing could even ask what had happened, Consort Yi grabbed her hand affectionately, explaining, “Ziqing, it was a misunderstanding, purely a misunderstanding! The Princess Imperial didn’t mean it!”

It was Chu Feiyan!

Had she come here just to attack her?

A flash of malice crossed Ziqing’s eyes, though she still said nothing.

At that moment, Chu Feiyan finally emerged as well, dressed in a striking, heroic riding outfit, a long whip in hand. Enemies meeting face to face indeed brought out heightened animosity. She had always been arrogant, and now, emboldened by her new status, she was even more so, lifting her chin and looking down her nose at Ziqing with disdain. Even having just struck her with the cup, she still seemed furious!

Her resentment toward Han Ziqing would never fade, no matter what happened, for the rest of her life!

She had originally planned everything so carefully for this trip to Nanzhao—she was going to expose Ziqing’s true identity, turn her into a forbidden taboo within Nanzhao, ensure she could never leave Nanzhao again, and make sure Great Zhou wouldn’t dare protect her either!

Yet somehow, Ziqing had managed to turn disaster into fortune once again, and in doing so, had cursed Chu Feiyan for the rest of her life instead!

Now she had to marry that repulsive, decrepit old man—ever since agreeing to the marriage, every time she thought about her wedding night, about having to stand naked before that aging Prince Nanzhao, she trembled all over with revulsion!

The man she wanted to marry was Jun Beiyue! The wedding night she wanted was only ever meant to be with Jun Beiyue! Her most precious, beautiful body was meant only for Jun Beiyue’s touch!

And it was all because of this Han Ziqing—all her fault!

Since she’d already agreed to marry, then from the very moment she laid eyes on Han Ziqing again, she was determined to begin tormenting her, slowly and thoroughly!

After a long, disdainful once-over, Chu Feiyan finally said with a cold laugh, “Princess Yao, my sincerest apologies. I’m simply not used to such delicate little teacups, so I tossed it aside carelessly—but unfortunately, my aim was a bit off. Surely you won’t be so petty as to blame me for that, will you?”

Though it sounded like an apology, it was clearly nothing but a provocation, without a shred of genuine sincerity!

Ziqing looked at her, and suddenly smiled. But to everyone’s surprise, she took a step backward, then abruptly bent down, snatched up a shard of the broken teacup from the ground, and hurled it viciously straight at Chu Feiyan’s face!

The two of them stood no more than five or six paces apart, and with the sharp edges of the broken porcelain, this wasn’t merely a matter of a bloodied forehead—it struck directly across her face, tearing it open!

Chu Feiyan clutched her face, screaming, instinctively stumbling backward several steps, in no position to retaliate at all. “My face! My face! Someone fetch the physician, quickly! Han Ziqing, you vicious, petty woman!”

Physician Gu arrived just then, and upon seeing the scene, was utterly stunned.

Yet Ziqing said flatly, “Princess Imperial, it’s nothing serious, is it? Anyone can accidentally slip and lose their grip. I merely wanted to pick up the broken pieces just now, so the Princess Imperial wouldn’t accidentally step on them later. And there, my hand simply slipped, and I accidentally injured the Princess Imperial instead. Surely the Princess Imperial won’t be so petty as to blame me for that, will she?”

If Chu Feiyan tried to argue further now, she would only be contradicting her own earlier words.

Physician Gu understood the situation immediately. Consort Yi had come, the Second Prince had come too—and the person who should have been escorted to the envoy’s residence had instead been brought straight to the Prince Yao’s estate!

This Chu Feiyan was clearly using Prince Yao’s obligation to protect her as an excuse to deliberately stir up trouble!

She had obviously chosen this moment, while His Highness was away, to bully Her Highness the consort!

And sure enough, unable to argue back against the consort, Chu Feiyan immediately turned her fury on Physician Gu instead. “Useless servant, what are you standing around for? Hurry up and examine me properly! If this leaves a scar, and Prince Nanzhao asks about it, how will your master explain himself?”

With that, she clutched her face and hurried inside!

Physician Gu glanced at Ziqing, and seeing her nod, hastily followed after her. Consort Yi and the Second Prince trailed along just as eagerly, practically fawning—these days, Xichu was their only remaining hope.

Only Prince Baxian remained behind, his brow furrowed deeply, regarding Ziqing with a stern, serious expression. “Couldn’t you have simply endured it a little, and waited for Beiyue to return? Things are different now from before—if you can’t hold back, you’re only creating trouble for Beiyue!”

Ziqing pressed her lips together and said nothing.

“When will Beiyue return?” Prince Baxian asked again.

“I… I don’t know either,” Ziqing said flatly, wiping away the blood on her forehead somewhat carelessly, then walking briskly through the doorway. She truly didn’t know whether Jun Beiyue would rush back the moment he received word of this. All she knew was that, no matter what, she couldn’t allow anyone to come into their own home and bully her.