Though smiling, his eyes were filled with killing intent. “Plotting against the empress, scheming to harm the heir – do you think you’ll leave this palace alive today?”
“…You’re the empress’s man. Why are you helping her?” Xue finally broke into tears, shouting incoherently, “Whatever she gave you, I can give you more! You—”
“Because her surname is Fu,” Yan Xiaohan cut her off lightly. “You framed the empress during the Flower Festival, deliberately provoking my taboo. You’re seeking death.”
The Flower Festival? What does that have to do with anything?
Confused, Xue looked around.
Among the eunuchs, one from the north suddenly understood: Ah, wasn’t this the day the lord married the Jingning Marquis last year?
The Fu Marquis was now missing, and the empress was his only sister. No wonder Lord Yan was so angry. Xue was truly unlucky to have fallen into his hands.
Since coming to Jiangnan, Yan Xiaohan had killed fewer people, but when he did act, he became even more cruel. This was merely a release of his own pain, ensuring those who provoked him would not escape.
A eunuch approached with white silk, softly saying, “Noble Concubine, please.”
Xue stared at Yan Xiaohan in disbelief, her eyes wild. He looked away, staring at a cluster of white flowers.
When she didn’t move, the eunuch spoke with a strange tone, “If the Noble Concubine refuses to act, we’ll have to help you on your way.”
Yan Xiaohan turned, saying calmly, “I heard the Noble Concubine comes from a noble family, educated in poetry, skilled in song and dance. A fortune-teller once said your fate was noble, that you’d marry well.” He couldn’t help but sneer, “The entire Jinling spread such rumors. You probably believed them, thinking you’d be the next Wei Zifu.”
“This white silk is already showing you respect,” Yan Xiaohan stood up, looking down at her coldly. “It’s best you comply. Otherwise, I’ll make you the next Qi Furen.”
Xue was struck as if by lightning. Educated in literature, she immediately understood Yan Xiaohan’s threat and knew her fate was sealed.
The struggle between the Noble Concubine and the Empress was not just a palace conflict but a battle for the heir, a silent confrontation between northern old officials and southern newcomers.
