She had long heard that the winter ice pot competitions were famous, but never thought she would have the chance to see one. An Mianmian suddenly felt that not being able to sleep in today was a good thing.

Song Yuhe curved his lips slightly, opened his eyes to look at An Mianmian’s excited expression, his gaze carrying a probing quality.

When they arrived, the ice pot competition had already begun. An Mianmian followed Song Yuhe into the small house by the lake, where a warming brazier had already been lit.

“Do you see the woman in purple on the lake?”

An Mianmian walked to the window, squinting as she searched: “I see her.”

“Find a way to get her to come in.”

An Mianmian looked back at Song Yuhe questioningly. The inquiry she was about to voice was swallowed back down, and she asked instead: “Who is she?”

“The legitimate daughter of the Grand Minister of Imperial Sacrifices, Chu Xiaoran.”

Legitimate daughters of official families all carried some degree of pride. An Mianmian was still worrying about how to call her before Song Yuhe when she saw someone suddenly fall in front of her, startling her greatly.

Before she could react, someone pushed her down hard, cursing: “Where did this wild girl come from, daring to push our young lady?”

An Mianmian: ???

She hadn’t done anything at all.

“Whose maid are you?” The maid who had pushed her helped up her young lady, looking down at An Mianmian from above.

Before long, a circle of people had gathered around them.

“I am…”

“Miss Kong, you mustn’t falsely accuse people. I saw you fall on the ground yourself. Could it be that to save face, you don’t want everyone to know you still haven’t learned to ice skate after two years, so you’re deliberately saying someone pushed you?”

An Mianmian’s words were cut off before she could speak. She nimbly got up and turned around to see that it was Chu Xiaoran.

“I’m not falsely accusing her – she did push me!” Kong Mohan said urgently.

“I didn’t,” An Mianmian spoke up in refutation. “I don’t even know you. Why would I push you?”

“Where did this maid come from? When the master is speaking, is it your place to talk?” Kong Mohan’s maid spoke again.

An Mianmian’s temper flared up instantly. Thinking that in this world, apart from the Emperor and Empress Dowager, no one had a higher status than Song Yuhe, her confidence immediately strengthened. She put her hands on her hips, pointed at the maid, and scolded: “You’re the wild maid! Why did you push me? You’re also a servant – what right do you have to lecture me? I was brought by His Highness. If you have the ability, let’s go reason with His Highness!”

There was only one prince in the Song Dynasty, so everyone naturally knew who that was. What Song Yuhe’s temperament was like – even if those present hadn’t seen it, they had certainly heard about it. An Mianmian looked around, cleared her throat, and said deliberately: “But our prince is benevolent and would never harm the innocent.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the surrounding crowd all dispersed, leaving only a few of them.

Mu Chi timely walked over and said, “His Highness requests the young ladies to come over.”

“Miss Kong, please!” An Mianmian smiled at her and made a gesture of invitation, then said to Chu Xiaoran: “Thank you, Miss Chu, for helping me out of this predicament. Please come along as well.”

Once the words were spoken, Chu Xiaoran had no choice but to go.

An Mianmian walked at the front. When entering the room, she secretly winked at Song Yuhe, her proud little expression unmistakable. When she turned around, she immediately put on a serious face and recounted the entire incident from beginning to end.

“Miss Kong is a master, so even if you didn’t push her, when you saw her fall, you should have quickly helped her up. This counts as your fault. Quickly apologize to Miss Kong.” Song Yuhe’s voice was bland, like a March spring breeze. An Mianmian felt somewhat uneasy but didn’t dare disobey.

After she finished apologizing, Song Yuhe continued: “Without knowing the cause or discerning the facts, you struck this prince’s person. Miss Kong, how do you account for this?”

This was to stand up for An Mianmian.

If it were someone else, they would think An Mianmian was favored, but she didn’t think so. Everything was too coincidental.

How was it that when she stood on the lake’s surface, Kong Mohan just happened to fall in front of her? How was it that Chu Xiaoran, standing so far away, was so certain in providing testimony that she hadn’t pushed her? And why did Mu Chi appear so timely?

It would be difficult not to suspect this was all orchestrated by Song Yuhe.

“I’ll have Yuping apologize to the young lady on my behalf. The young lady is magnanimous – please don’t hold it against us.” Kong Mohan said hurriedly.

“This servant didn’t know the young lady belonged to His Highness and offended her greatly. Please forgive me!” Yuping knelt before An Mianmian, pleading.

“Mianmian, do you accept?” Song Yuhe smiled at her, but his eyes were ice-cold.

This was the first time he had called her name – tender and lingering, as if she truly were someone he cherished.

An Mianmian looked at Yuping’s expectant face. After a long while, she slowly said: “This servant… does not accept.”

“If Sister Yuping lies on the ice for one hour, this matter will be settled.” An Mianmian spoke before Song Yuhe could, pretending not to see his searching gaze directed at her.

Kong Mohan quickly left with Yuping.

A maid came to serve tea, bringing tea leaves.

Mu Chi had taught An Mianmian how to brew tea. She had great talent and learned quickly. Even Song Yuhe had said upon seeing it: “If you could share some of your tea-brewing talent with ink grinding, you wouldn’t have ruined my fine ink stick.”

An Mianmian pretended not to hear.

As soon as the tea leaves touched the water, fragrance filled the air. Even An Mianmian, who didn’t drink tea, could smell that it was good tea.

“This tea…” Chu Xiaoran smelled it, her eyes showing considerable delight. “Junshan Silver Needle?”

Song Yuhe smiled slightly: “I’ve long heard that Miss Chu enjoys tea tasting. Indeed, your reputation is well-deserved.”

“Your Highness is too kind.”

An Mianmian saw Chu Xiaoran’s ears turn red.

That made sense. Song Yuhe was handsome – anyway, An Mianmian had lived until now and had never seen anyone better looking than him, especially since he had dressed up particularly well today. If not for his notorious reputation, no one could associate this elegant gentleman with the cruel and cold-blooded prince.

While the two were talking, An Mianmian had already finished brewing the tea. She first handed it to Song Yuhe, then to Chu Xiaoran.

“Miss Chu, please!” Song Yuhe held up his teacup in a gesture.

Chu Xiaoran lightly sipped and smiled: “Excellent tea.”

“Your Highness, the ice pot competition is about to begin.” Mu Chi entered from outside and curtsied.

“Thank you for the tea, Your Highness. This subject’s daughter must go participate in the ice pot competition and take her leave.” Chu Xiaoran stood up, and after receiving permission, she left. Before leaving, she smiled and finished all the tea in her cup.

But Song Yuhe’s teacup remained completely untouched.

After the ice pot competition, An Mianmian caught up with Chu Xiaoran, who was preparing to leave, and handed her a packet of tea leaves, saying: “His Highness saw that you loved this tea and said he wanted to give it to you. If it can bring a smile to a beauty’s face, it will have fulfilled its worth.”

“Such a precious gift…”

“Miss Chu, please don’t refuse me, or I’ll be punished when I return.”

An Mianmian spoke incorrectly. Whether Chu Xiaoran accepted the tea or not, she would be punished. She was now kneeling in the courtyard, having received ten heavy strikes on her back.

The pain made it impossible to straighten up.

Song Yuhe asked if she knew her mistake.

She knew. She shouldn’t have let Yuping lie on the ice for only one hour.

Song Yuhe wanted her dead. He never needed a reason to kill.

But An Mianmian didn’t want that. She couldn’t bear to see a person who had been lively and active die before her eyes. When Song Yuhe looked at her, she already knew she would be punished upon return.

After kneeling for an hour, Ning Ge told her to get up and said he would take her somewhere.

When An Mianmian stood up, she staggered slightly and instinctively reached out to grab something. But Ning Ge stepped back, showing no intention of supporting her.

Ning Ge took her to the Kong mansion, grabbing her collar and flying in, landing on the artificial mountain in the courtyard.

Yuping was carrying a lantern, talking and laughing with a maid walking alongside her.

An Mianmian realized what Ning Ge wanted to show her and was about to speak when her mouth was covered.

She watched helplessly as a black shadow flashed by, bypassed the maid, and pierced through Yuping’s body.

Yuping’s smile was still on her face when she fell straight down, the lantern dropping to the ground. The little maid beside her had just started to scream when she too was pierced through the body.

A gust of wind blew, the lantern flame flickered a few times, then finally went out.

That black shadow disappeared again in an instant.

“Did you see?” Ning Ge’s voice sounded beside her ear, colder than the Song Dynasty winter. “You couldn’t save her. You could only let her live a few more hours. But the price is more people dying.”

Ning Ge said: “An Mianmian, don’t think of playing little schemes before His Highness. Those he wants to kill, even the Emperor cannot protect.”

“Remember this?”

Song Yuhe married Chu Xiaoran as a secondary consort.

He sent five chests of betrothal gifts, and she entered through the main gate in an eight-bearer sedan chair, giving full face to the Grand Minister of Imperial Sacrifices.

Song Yuhe had no principal wife, so Chu Xiaoran became the mistress of the prince’s mansion.

Everyone feared Song Yuhe, yet they flocked to the position of Princess Zhen.

Song Yuhe was the current sage’s full brother, the Song Dynasty’s only prince.

Below one person, above ten thousand – even though he was cruel and heartless, many were willing to bow before him.

The day Chu Xiaoran entered the mansion, Xiaohua came to find An Mianmian in a rage.

She demanded to know why An Mianmian hadn’t told her.

An Mianmian asked her back: “What if I had told you?”

Xiaohua was speechless.

Chu Xiaoran lived in the South Pavilion. Relying on her status as secondary consort, she ordered the concubines around imperiously.

“The secondary consort only dares to lord it over everyone because she’s the Grand Minister of Imperial Sacrifices’ daughter, but she’s not the only official’s daughter in this mansion.” The little maid embroidering in An Mianmian’s room said. “Miss, what’s wrong?”

An Mianmian shook her head, picked up the teacup that had fallen on the table, wiped the table clean, and smiled: “Too hot. Who else were you talking about just now?”

“Official’s daughters? Xiaohua – she’s the adopted daughter of the Grand Master of Imperial Entertainments, which also counts as a young lady.”

An Mianmian nodded and casually glanced at Mu Chi standing to the side.

Everyone in the mansion called An Mianmian “Miss” because she was sent by the Empress Dowager – to put it bluntly, she came to be a concubine.

But Song Yuhe didn’t arrange for her to live in the South Pavilion, nor did he clarify her status. If she were a master, she had to take turns serving with the maids daily. If she were a maid, yet Mu Chi was assigned to care for her.

The mansion’s people couldn’t figure it out and didn’t dare slight her, so following Mu Chi’s lead, they called her “Miss,” treating her as half a master.

After that day, Xiaohua never came to the North Pavilion again, and An Mianmian didn’t inquire about her news.

“How has Miss Xiaohua been lately?” Mu Chi suddenly asked.

The little girl doing embroidery shook her head: “I don’t know either. The secondary consort manages strictly – Miss Xiaohua’s days aren’t easy anymore.”

“Other people’s affairs are not our concern.” An Mianmian looked at Mu Chi with seeming casualness, a flash of wariness in her eyes that disappeared in an instant, then smiled and said, “Your embroidery is really beautiful.”

An Mianmian still went to Song Yuhe’s room daily as usual. He often didn’t attend court recently, and sometimes when An Mianmian arrived, he hadn’t yet awakened.

Once there was no one at the door, and Ning Ge was nowhere to be found either. An Mianmian called out several times with no response, so she pushed the door open and went in. Walking to the inner room, she discovered Song Yuhe was still sleeping.

Afraid of letting in cold air, An Mianmian kept her distance and craned her neck to look at him. His hair was unbound and scattered on the bed, his eyes closed, his eyelashes very long, like little fans.

His nose was probably inherited from the Empress Dowager. His mouth was thin – books said people with thin lips were mostly heartless. An Mianmian smacked her lips – seemed accurate.

He just didn’t like to smile. When he did smile, it was even more frightening – better not to smile.

His eyes were amber-colored – how peculiar.

Eyes?

An Mianmian dropped to her knees with a thud: “Your Highness… you’re awake?”

“What are you doing?” Probably having just awakened, Song Yuhe’s voice was somewhat hoarse as he propped his head on his hand and looked at her sideways.

Like a lazy yet noble lion, inspiring awe yet making one unable to resist wanting to approach.

“Your Highness is truly handsome.” An Mianmian’s eyes curved as she spoke the truth.

Song Yuhe lowered his head and chuckled: “Come closer.”

An Mianmian stood up and walked over. Just as she reached the bedside, she was suddenly pulled and fell onto the bed. Song Yuhe leaned over her, and An Mianmian could feel the heat of his breath when he spoke. The quilt beneath her still carried his warmth.

Due to years of taking medicine and medicinal baths, Song Yuhe carried a faint herbal scent – very distinctive but not unpleasant.

An Mianmian instinctively gripped the quilt beneath her tightly, hearing Song Yuhe ask: “What does it feel like?”

“Beautiful… beautiful beautiful enough to feast the eyes upon.”

Song Yuhe laughed aloud. His sleeping robe slipped due to his large movements, revealing snow-white shoulders. An Mianmian tried hard not to let her gaze wander downward, watching Song Yuhe slowly lean closer, feeling him rest his chin on her shoulder. An Mianmian felt like she couldn’t breathe.

Her face was unusually hot.

“If that’s the case, then staying by my side every day, you’d never need to eat again, right?”

Eh?

???

Before An Mianmian could react, Song Yuhe leaned back and returned to his usual state: “Dress me.”

For entering the inner room without permission, An Mianmian received twenty palm strikes and was forbidden from eating for a day.

Song Yuhe seemed to do it deliberately, having the kitchen prepare a bunch of meat and sweets. He only ate a few bites, leaving the rest sitting there.

An Mianmian’s stomach rumbled with hunger, but she didn’t dare speak.

Just as she was staring longingly at the pastries on the table, the steward came to report that Miss Xiaohua from the South Pavilion had miscarried.

Xiaohua had a straightforward nature and didn’t fawn over Chu Xiaoran like the other concubines, so she was often especially targeted.

This morning, due to some oversight, Chu Xiaoran punished her to kneel. Before long, she fainted, with a pool of blood beneath her.

After the steward left, An Mianmian asked: “Won’t Your Highness go see her?”

“Why should I go?” Song Yuhe asked without looking up. “The South Pavilion is under Chu Xiaoran’s management. If she punished Xiaohua, she naturally had her reasons.”

“But Miss Xiaohua miscarried…”

“Failing to protect the child was her fault to begin with.”

An Mianmian opened her mouth but didn’t know how to refute.

He didn’t care about Xiaohua, nor why Chu Xiaoran punished her. It was as if what died wasn’t his child, but just an ant.

An Mianmian lowered her eyes: “This servant would like to go see Miss Xiaohua.”

Song Yuhe glanced at her and put down his book: “Have I confined you to quarters?”

This was tacit permission.

The next morning, as soon as Song Yuhe left, An Mianmian hurried to the South Pavilion to find Xiaohua.

This was her first time entering the South Pavilion. There were many maids here, much livelier than the North Pavilion.

She searched around before finding Xiaohua’s courtyard. She knocked, but no one answered. Pushing the door open, she saw Xiaohua hanging from the beam.

An Mianmian screamed in fright.

Her scream drew everyone, but they seemed accustomed to such scenes.

An Mianmian watched them call servants to take down Xiaohua’s body, wrap it in a straw mat, and carry it away.

Where they would take it, An Mianmian didn’t know.

Some people covered their mouths with handkerchiefs, looking disgusted. Some clicked their tongues, seeming regretful. Some glanced once and left, completely indifferent.

“Miss, we should go back.” Mu Chi said beside her.

An Mianmian nodded and turned to leave.

She walked very quickly, nearly slipping several times.

“Miss, the roads are slippery in the snow. Please slow down.” Mu Chi advised from the side, but An Mianmian paid no attention.

Suddenly, a dog ran out, and An Mianmian stepped on it, tripping and falling to the ground.

Pushing away Mu Chi’s hand that tried to help her up, An Mianmian had just stood when she saw her grab that snow-white little dog and throw it into the lake.

An Mianmian watched helplessly as the dog struggled a few times before sinking down.

She couldn’t speak. She couldn’t stop Mu Chi, nor could she blame her.

A well-dressed woman rushed over and slapped Mu Chi hard.

Very loud – the woman’s screaming was also very loud.

She was shouting, shrieking, ordering servants to fish out her Little Dou.

Another slap landed on An Mianmian’s face.

Very painful, burning hot.

She tried to hit again, but was stopped by Mu Chi. Mu Chi was strong – a delicate young lady like Chu Xiaoran naturally couldn’t match her. Mu Chi’s voice was somewhat cold: “Secondary Princess, please calm your anger and think thrice before acting.”

Mu Chi released her hand and curtsied: “This servant was impertinent. Secondary Princess, please forgive me.”

Chu Xiaoran stepped back, supported by her maid, her voice trembling with hatred: “I, the daughter of a third-rank official, am being bullied by two servants. Guards! Twenty lashes, right now!”

“Miss, you mustn’t…” The maid Fanglan tried to stop her, but was cut off before finishing.

“I’m a secondary princess – can’t I even punish servants?” Chu Xiaoran demanded sternly. “What are you waiting for? Strike!”

Everyone in the prince’s mansion knew His Highness treated An Mianmian somewhat differently. Though they didn’t know why, they all consciously showed her respect.

Moreover, An Mianmian was kind-hearted and lively, never ordering others around, so she had good relationships with the mansion’s people.

But now she was being beaten by the secondary princess, who had been in the mansion for less than a month.

In the cold by the lake, An Mianmian lay prostrate, the icy wind making her feel the twenty lashes weren’t so painful anymore.

She wanted to cry, but couldn’t shed tears – the prince’s mansion’s winter wind could freeze one’s tears to ice.

When the dog died, someone stood up for it and sought justice.

When people died, they were just wrapped in straw mats and thrown onto some unknown barren mountain.

Sometimes, human life was cheaper than a dog’s life.

The steward sent people to carry her and Mu Chi back to the North Pavilion and called for a physician.

But the physician was stopped at the door by Chu Xiaoran’s people. No matter how the steward pleaded, Chu Xiaoran wouldn’t relent.

Finally, the steward detained her in the front courtyard while another Imperial Physician entered through the back door.

An Mianmian drifted in and out of consciousness, not knowing how long passed. She only felt someone talking by her ear – she couldn’t hear clearly – and someone feeding her medicine.

She didn’t wake up until the next morning. A little maid was sleeping with her head on An Mianmian’s hand. As soon as she moved, the little maid woke up.

“I want some water.” An Mianmian’s voice was hoarse.

The little maid immediately poured hot water and fed it to her, gently comforting: “How do you feel, Miss? Are you still uncomfortable?”

An Mianmian nodded and looked around: “Where’s Mu Chi?”

“Sister Mu Chi is in another room.” The little maid tucked her in: “Miss, you’re seriously injured and need to rest well.”

“Has His Highness returned?”

“Not yet, but don’t worry, Miss. When His Highness returns, he’ll surely seek justice for you.”

She was surrounded by Song Yuhe’s spies. Every move was reported to him. His not returning for a night could only mean that in Song Yuhe’s heart, she was no different from Xiaohua.

An Mianmian lowered her eyes, hiding her emotions.

Song Yuhe only learned of this after returning to the mansion. He turned the teacup in his hands, his expression unreadable as he asked: “Why wasn’t this reported?”

The black-clothed man before him knelt and cupped his hands: “The secondary princess didn’t endanger Miss An’s life, so we didn’t inform Your Highness.”

“Didn’t endanger her life?” Song Yuhe repeated, his eyes taking on a sinister cast. “Your task is to monitor An Mianmian. Everything about her must be reported. Now you tell me she wasn’t in mortal danger?”

“This subordinate knows his error.”

Song Yuhe set down the teacup and waved his hand: “Handle it yourself. Go.”

“Yes.” The black-clothed man drew a dagger from his waist, stabbed it into his left arm, and left.

When An Mianmian was eating dinner, the little maid caring for her said that the dowry maid Chu Xiaoran had been given twenty lashes and thrown into the ice lake, where she drowned.

Chu Xiaoran went to question Song Yuhe but couldn’t even get through the door before being dragged away and sent back to her courtyard.

Twenty palm strikes, confined to quarters.

Later, it was said that Lady Chu came to Zhen Prince’s mansion wanting to see her daughter, but was stopped at the gate.

The Grand Minister of Imperial Sacrifices petitioned the Emperor in court to uphold justice – his beloved daughter, whom he treasured above all else, was treated thus after marrying into the prince’s mansion.

Unexpectedly, Song Yuhe merely smiled slightly and said: “Since Lord Chu can’t bear to part with her, this prince will return his daughter to him.”

He threw the divorce papers in Lord Chu’s face right there in court and expelled Chu Xiaoran from Zhen Prince’s mansion. When she left, Chu Xiaoran was still clutching that packet of tea.

Lord Chu was advanced in years and couldn’t bear such humiliation. After spitting blood, he fell ill and never recovered.

Chu Xiaoran hanged herself at home.

An Mianmian learned of this when deep winter arrived. The scabs on her body had formed, and the mansion’s people were strictly controlled, never discussing such matters in front of her.

It was one of Song Yuhe’s concubines who told her.

After this incident, everyone felt Song Yuhe treated An Mianmian differently. Those concubines who had once acted superior in front of her all came to curry favor.

Song Yuhe had never done such things for a woman before. Rumors spread that she was devastatingly beautiful, a beauty who could topple kingdoms and had stolen Song Yuhe’s very soul.

It was also from those concubines that An Mianmian learned that the Grand Minister of Imperial Sacrifices case had enraged court officials, who submitted memorials requesting His Majesty issue an edict to execute An Mianmian.

Since the Empress Dowager had sent An Mianmian to Zhen Prince’s mansion, killing her would require consideration of the Empress Dowager. If an edict were issued to kill her, it would prove the Empress Dowager had sent a woman who didn’t know her place, a beauty who brought disaster, to Song Yuhe’s side.

The Empress Dowager issued an edict summoning An Mianmian to the palace.

Less than a year later, An Mianmian returned to the imperial palace. The young eunuch leading her looked somewhat unfamiliar – probably newly arrived.

“Eh, this way is closer.” An Mianmian stopped him, pointing to a side path.

The young eunuch was stunned for a moment, then bowed: “Thank you, Miss!”

“No matter.”

The two took the shortcut to Ci Ning Palace.

Wei An, the head palace maid beside the Empress Dowager, saw her arrive and said: “You wait here first. The Empress Dowager is taking her afternoon rest.”

This was punishment kneeling.

An Mianmian was glad she had worn knee pads when leaving, or her legs would surely freeze in this icy weather.

This kneeling lasted two hours.

Today there was no snow, just dry cold. The Empress Dowager finally summoned her in.

As soon as she entered the room, the chill on her body was dispelled.

“An Mianmian, when this dowager summoned you to the palace, do you know why?”

“This servant knows – regarding Miss Chu’s suicide.”

An Mianmian knelt on the ground without raising her head, only able to see the underground heating system burning brightly.

“What do you have to say?”

“This servant bears no fault in this matter.”

“You bear no fault?” The Empress Dowager’s voice was stern as she slammed the table. “You are a servant, she is a young lady. When the master scolds you a few times, you run to cry to the prince – is this the propriety you learned in the palace? This dowager sent you to the mansion to help the prince resolve troubles, not to whisper in his ear and become a target of universal condemnation!”

“This servant never cried to His Highness. His Highness acted as he did for his own reasons.” As soon as An Mianmian finished speaking, Wei An slapped her across the face.

“What thing are you to dare contradict the Empress Dowager’s words?”

“This servant dares not. The Empress Dowager asked, so this servant answered. The Empress Dowager gave no order – why did Aunt Wei An strike this servant?” An Mianmian raised her head, looking directly at Wei An, her dark eyes unfathomably deep. “Or does Aunt believe she can discipline this servant in the Empress Dowager’s place?”

“Wei An.” Before Wei An could respond, she was interrupted. The Empress Dowager glanced at her with a look that made Wei An’s heart tremble, so she lowered her head and said nothing more.

“A year unseen, your appearance has become more radiant, and this mouth has become more sharp-tongued.” The Empress Dowager smiled, though no emotion could be heard in her voice. An Mianmian was too frightened to speak. “Do you remember what this dowager said before you left the palace?”

“The Empress Dowager told this servant to…”

There was commotion outside. An Mianmian stopped speaking, and the Empress Dowager frowned: “Go see what’s happening.”

Wei An curtsied and left.

Only An Mianmian and the Empress Dowager remained in the room.

With no one else speaking in the room, An Mianmian knelt for a long time before a tear fell hard to the ground.

Using as steady a voice as possible, she said to the Empress Dowager: “This servant has been in the mansion for half a year. Dozens of maids and servants have been beaten to death, with the greatest offense being serving the wrong tea. Everyone in the mansion lives in fear, the people have long harbored resentment, and court officials are even more ashamed of what His Highness has done.”

An Mianmian clenched her hands into fists, biting her teeth hard. Those girls who bloomed like flowers were trying so hard to live, yet could be beaten to death for breaking a teacup.

Perhaps they didn’t even need to make mistakes – just Song Yuhe being in a bad mood could mean death.

The palace maids’ rumors that Prince Zhen was unpredictable and killed without blinking were all true.

The day before, a girl had smiled and said to her: “Miss An, look how pretty the peach blossoms I embroidered are!”

The next day, she was beaten nearly to death. Those helpless, bewildered eyes silently begged her for help.

But she couldn’t speak. She even had to pretend not to know, continue grinding ink for Song Yuhe, and say to him: “Your Highness, the plum blossoms are blooming beautifully today. Shall we have the kitchen make plum blossom pancakes?”

“Empress Dowager, Prince Zhen is your son, but the people are also your subjects. Water can carry a boat, but if this continues with widespread resentment, this water might also overturn the Song family!”

An Mianmian closed her eyes, her voice stern: “Empress Dowager, Prince Zhen cannot be allowed to remain.”

After a long while, the Empress Dowager finally spoke, seeming to have struggled greatly, her voice trembling: “Let this dowager think, let this dowager think.”

The Emperor was the Empress Dowager’s son, and Song Yuhe was also her flesh and blood. Both palms and backs of hands were flesh – she was being asked to choose between them.

The Empress Dowager spoke while trying to leave. An Mianmian quickly stood to support her. The Empress Dowager patted her hand and walked alone toward the inner room.

Only then did An Mianmian realize the Emperor had been standing to the side at some point, probably the entire time, hidden behind the screen.

The Emperor asked what else she knew.

“Prince Zhen doesn’t indulge in carnal pleasures. Though he has many wives and concubines, it’s merely a facade.” These few words took An Mianmian half a year to learn. The mansion had strict rules – servants didn’t dare discuss freely. If she asked too much, it would certainly arouse suspicion. Moreover, Song Yuhe had placed countless eyes around her.

Every step she took was like walking on thin ice, carefully calculated.

She was a chess piece, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor had placed beside Song Yuhe. They had placed countless chess pieces around each other. When discovered, they would find another opportunity to plant more. This went on repeatedly.

An Mianmian didn’t know how far she could go. Perhaps in a few days, she would be exposed like previous people and die in Zhen Prince’s mansion.

She was also afraid, but she had to do this for family and country.

“Aren’t you afraid of death?”

“I am.”

“Then why help me?”

“But I’m more afraid that if Song Yuhe gains power, the world will become dark, the people will only fear the dynasty without respect, righteous people will lose heart, and scholars throughout the realm will fall silent.”

Song Rongfeng looked at An Mianmian. When she spoke these words, she was resolute and fearless. Though small in stature, she stood straight, her dark eyes shining with brilliant light.

Like starlight, though small, it seemed as if it could truly illuminate the path ahead.

“Mianmian, having this blood feud weighing on you has been hard.”

People are like this – they can grit their teeth and endure, but once someone understands, it feels like suffering the greatest injustice. An Mianmian’s tears flowed immediately. She choked for a long time before slowly kneeling and performing the greatest kowtow, saying through tears: “Father served diligently for decades, strictly guarding Jiasheng Pass. He was not the corrupt official Prince Zhen claimed – one who took bribes and opened the city gates, causing the massacre of civilians. This servant fears no hardship. If someday the truth comes to light, I beg Your Majesty to restore justice to the Bai family, clear Father’s name, and let the seventy-plus members of the Bai family rest in peace in the underworld.”

Her words were spoken with tears of blood, her voice trembling.

“I promise you!”

An Mianmian entered the palace at dawn and wasn’t released until sunset.

As soon as she exited the city gate, she collapsed into Mu Chi’s arms, who had been waiting at the entrance.

She had knelt at the entrance of Ci Ning Palace the entire afternoon.

After returning to the mansion, she developed a fever. When Song Yuhe came, she was complaining that the medicine was too bitter and asking if sugar could be added.

“Good medicine tastes bitter.”

An Mianmian was startled and, seeing it was him, quickly drank the medicine in one gulp: “Understood, understood. Your Highness is right.”

Song Yuhe sat by the bed, pinched her face with two fingers, looking left and right: “Wei An hit you?”

An Mianmian nodded: “Aunt Wei An said this servant didn’t know propriety and was contradicting the Empress Dowager, so she disciplined me for the Empress Dowager.”

“You contradicted the Empress Dowager?”

“Of course not. The Empress Dowager asked if this servant knew her mistake, and I said I didn’t.” An Mianmian recounted everything that happened at Ci Ning Palace to Song Yuhe in detail. “After Aunt Wei An left, the Empress Dowager said Lord Chu had served as an official for decades and suffered such humiliation – he needed an explanation. A life for a life – she wanted to execute this servant.”

Song Yuhe raised an eyebrow: “Then how did you come out alive?”

An Mianmian shook her head: “Perhaps because I stayed in the palace for many years without making mistakes, the Empress Dowager only made me kneel outside.”

Not only would Song Yuhe not believe this, but An Mianmian didn’t believe it herself as she spoke. The Empress Dowager had summoned her to the palace, but didn’t kill her.

After recuperating for over half a month, An Mianmian’s body gradually recovered.

She got up early and bounced cheerfully toward Song Yuhe’s room. It was snowing heavily today, so he hadn’t gone to court and was sitting on the soft couch reading.

Holding the ginseng soup a maid had brought, as always, one bowl each. An Mianmian looked up and drank hers, then smiled: “Testing for poison is a good thing – I get to eat so many good things.”

“How ambitious.” Song Yuhe curved his lips slightly, turned a page of his book, and just as he picked up the remaining bowl of ginseng soup, An Mianmian spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed in front of him.

Someone had poisoned it.

Ning Ge sealed the entire prince’s mansion, allowing no one in or out.

Three Imperial Physicians examined the poison simultaneously – the ginseng soup was not poisoned.

But An Mianmian’s symptoms indicated poisoning.

Not knowing what substance caused the poisoning, the Imperial Physicians didn’t dare prescribe medicine randomly. They could only insert needles into her head and fingertips to let some of the poisoned blood drain out.

This method could only delay the poison’s spread, not cure it.

If an antidote wasn’t found within two days, An Mianmian wouldn’t survive the winter.

Song Yuhe’s face was dark as he said harshly: “Go investigate what she ate that day in the Empress Dowager’s palace.”

The information they received was that the palace maid who had brought pastries to the Empress Dowager that day had slipped and fallen into water a few days ago. When discovered, she had been soaking in the water all night.

The Empress Dowager’s exact words were: “That palace maid was quite likeable. It’s just that everyone has their fate. This dowager also feels sorry for her.”

Everyone knew who she was referring to.

The palace always needed to give the Grand Minister of Imperial Sacrifices an explanation. Song Yuhe wouldn’t kill An Mianmian, so she would.

She wouldn’t kill openly, as she didn’t want to damage the mother-son relationship. Song Yuhe was intelligent – as long as An Mianmian died, this matter would be finished.

A day and night passed with no solution found. The Imperial Physicians were running around frantically.

Prince Zhen was unlike others – if they couldn’t save this girl, all three of them would die here.

Just as they were at their wits’ end, Song Yuhe pushed open the door. The three immediately knelt: “Your Highness, please wait a bit longer. There will be a way.”

“Bunch of useless fools.” Song Yuhe sneered, then asked, “Can Blood Resolve Pills cure poison?”

“Your Highness must not!” Ning Ge urgently tried to stop him. “These were left for your use – there are only two pills total.”

Song Yuhe ignored him, tapping his fingers on the table, and asked again: “Can they or can’t they?”

The Imperial Physicians looked at each other, then the slightly older one replied: “Though Blood Resolve Pills cannot cure poison, they can suppress any toxin and have life-restoring effects. They could be called life-saving medicine.”

“This prince understands.” Song Yuhe turned to leave. Ning Ge quickly followed, about to speak when Song Yuhe’s glance stopped him. “When did this prince’s decisions require your commentary?”

“Your Highness, the Blood Resolve Pills were left by the late Emperor to save your life. One servant’s life isn’t worth it.”

“Whether it’s worth it or not isn’t for you to say.” Song Yuhe took out a blood-red pill and placed it in An Mianmian’s mouth, his voice indifferent: “This prince isn’t saving An Mianmian.”

Ning Ge clenched his fists and said quietly: “This subordinate understands.”

An Mianmian’s life wasn’t that important. In normal times, if she died, she died. But not now.

Grand Minister of Imperial Sacrifices Chu Linquan had been poisoned using tea as a pretext. Though the poison was minimal, colorless, and odorless, it became more toxic when mixed with hot water. A person who had practiced martial arts for years with a healthy constitution couldn’t survive three years of regular consumption, let alone Song Yuhe with his congenital condition.

Chu Linquan wanted to kill him.

But he hadn’t expected that Song Yuhe, having taken medicine since childhood, was extremely sensitive to smells. Though this poison was colorless and odorless, it would alter the tea’s fragrance.

Song Yuhe was naturally suspicious and had the tea tested, indeed finding problems.

He had sent the same tea to Chu Linquan’s daughter.

The ice pot competition was to inform Chu Linquan that Song Yuhe knew everything and had decided to act.

Chu Xiaoran’s betrothal gifts filled five chests, but the world didn’t know that the first chest contained the severed head of a Chu family collateral branch’s legitimate son.

He had publicly divorced Chu Xiaoran, making the originally proud and noble young lady lose face completely and become a laughingstock.

The people only knew the Grand Minister of Imperial Sacrifices was so angry he vomited blood, but didn’t know Song Yuhe had already had someone poison his tea.

Chu Linquan wanted to kill him with tea, so he would let Chu Linquan die from his poison.

But now the Empress Dowager was killing people in his mansion because of Chu Linquan – this wouldn’t do.

So even if it meant using up a Blood Resolve Pill, Song Yuhe had to save An Mianmian.

She had to live.

When An Mianmian woke up, she was surrounded by a circle of people. Seeing her open her eyes, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

The Imperial Physician prescribed a nourishing formula and scheduled another visit in ten days.

Song Yuhe came in before long, and everyone in the room consciously left.

He stood against the light, so An Mianmian couldn’t see his face clearly: “Your Highness, I dreamed of Mother.”

“Mm.”

“I wanted to go with Mother, but she wouldn’t let me.” An Mianmian closed her eyes, recalling: “She said someone was saving me, and if I just went with her, that person’s efforts would be wasted. I thought about it and realized only Your Highness could save me, so I came back. I told Mother that Your Highness treats me very well. Though he often strikes my palms, he leaves me all the good food. I’ve tasted all kinds of little pastries in the prince’s mansion that I never had before.”

As she spoke, An Mianmian smiled at Song Yuhe, her eyes bright as she said: “I lived alone in the palace for so long with no one to talk to. They all competed to serve in the various palaces, unwilling to stay with me in the uninhabited places. All these years, I lived by myself. But since coming to Your Highness’s place, I have people with me every day – Your Highness, Ning Ge, and Mu Chi. I feel very content.”

As she spoke, she fell asleep.

The Imperial Physician said that after taking the Blood Resolve Pill, one’s mind would be muddled upon first waking. This was the first time she didn’t call herself “this servant” but used “I” instead – she truly wasn’t fully conscious.

After the last heavy snow of winter fell, An Mianmian gradually recovered. The serious illness had made her lose weight all around – her originally round little face was now somewhat pointed.

Though they wanted her to rest a few more days, An Mianmian couldn’t sit still, saying she would suffocate if she stayed in the room any longer.

Bundled up tightly, she had just reached the door when a maid stopped her. The maid whispered: “Eunuch Chang is inside.”

An Mianmian’s heart skipped a beat. Eunuch Chang – the Emperor’s head eunuch.

The conversation inside did not attempt to avoid others, and with the quiet surroundings, it could be heard clearly.

Eunuch Chang said: “This servant comes to relay His Majesty’s message. Today His Majesty found an excellent chess set and, not having seen his brother for a long time, wishes to play chess with Your Highness.”

Song Yuhe said, “Too cold. Don’t want to go.”

“Your Highness, this servant will prepare a sedan chair for you.”

“This prince is in poor health.”

An Mianmian couldn’t help but giggle, quickly covering her mouth.

The room instantly fell silent. The door opened, and Ning Ge glared at her with a stern face: “Come in.”

An Mianmian shuffled in with small steps, greeted Song Yuhe properly, and stood obediently to the side.

Eunuch Chang also knew that no matter what he said today, Song Yuhe wouldn’t enter the palace, so he could only leave.

“Ning Ge, see the guest out!”

They hadn’t been gone long when there was commotion outside. Song Yuhe looked at An Mianmian, who was craning her neck to look out, and said helplessly: “Go look.”

With these words, An Mianmian scurried over. Just reaching the door, she saw Ning Ge holding a sword with blood dripping from its tip, a man lying on the ground, and a woman kneeling beside him.

The woman held the man, crying and shouting through her tears: “There is no justice in this world! You’ve harmed my entire family, killed my father and brothers! I beg Your Majesty to seek justice for my Chu family! The Chu family has been loyal for generations, not dying in court but at the hands of treacherous villains! My heart is unwilling! Prince Zhen Song Yuhe, may you die a horrible death!”

As soon as she finished speaking, a sword pierced her throat.

An Mianmian didn’t see this scene – someone had covered her eyes from behind. The faint medicinal scent entered her nostrils, and in her ears were the people’s screams.

Eunuch Chang angrily said, “Ning Ge, how dare you murder in broad daylight! This servant will report this to His Majesty!”

“Turn around and walk back. Don’t look.”

An Mianmian trembled violently, slowly turning around, whispering: “Thank you, Your Highness!”

Song Yuhe released his hand and took hers, walking step by step back into the mansion. He didn’t want An Mianmian to see that scene.

There was no reason – he just didn’t want to. When Ning Ge pierced that person’s throat, it had been planned, but he suddenly didn’t want her to see it. He stepped forward and covered An Mianmian’s eyes.