Two nights later, Father-in-law passed away peacefully at the age of forty-eight. Until his last moment, he never saw the woman he loved or his only son. For this peaceful, gentle man, marrying into such an extraordinary family may have been a blessing or a curse, a judgment only he could make.
I kept vigil by his side all night, thinking. I did not cry again.
I cannot continue like this. I cannot passively wait for An Jin or Mother-in-law to save me. I cannot watch my family in danger.
Chapter Fifty-Four: Remarriage Becomes Reality
After Father-in-law’s seventh day memorial, I met with the Crown Prince.
“Your father’s passing is truly regrettable,” Xia Zhiyuan consoled. “My lady, please take care of yourself. The wasting illness is incurable; it was destined, so try to look on the bright side.”
I lowered my head. “Your Highness is kind. These past days, I’ve thought a lot, and I find your previous suggestion feasible.”
“Really?” Xia Zhiyuan’s eyes lit up as he approached. “My lady agrees?”
I bit my lip and frowned. “Indeed. The Western Liang people have destroyed my family. This revenge must be taken. But my family was not involved, and I don’t want them to be implicated innocently.”
“My lady can be at ease. As long as you’re willing to cooperate with me, I guarantee your family will not suffer any harm.
Heart slightly surprised, he thought An Jin was just missing. Now that Xia Zhiyuan agreed so readily, he wondered if he could be so certain that An Jin had been killed by Tang Wei.
“The last is the Nanrui token, the Phoenix Black Gold Talisman. To go to Nanrui, one must rely on this token.”
Xia Zhiyuan’s expression turned difficult. “That black gold talisman should be in the Third Prince’s possession. Now that he no longer exists, it may be hard to find.”
“Is the prince certain?” he laughed softly, seeing surprise in his eyes. “The Third Prince is truly no longer alive? Does the prince believe the rumors of falling off a cliff?”
He frowned. “Does my lady know something?”
“I know nothing, only heard An Jin say that even His Majesty suspects there’s more to the Third Prince’s death.” She raised an eyebrow at him. “Could it be that His Majesty never mentioned this to the prince?”
Xia Zhiyuan remained silent, his expression not looking good. He felt inwardly delighted, knowing he had bet correctly again. An Jin had once told him that the Third Prince’s return and fall from the cliff was highly suspicious.
According to a secret department report, the Third Prince was likely ambushed, possibly linked to the Eastern Palace.
Only two parties could determine the fate of the entire family: the Qi Emperor and the Eastern Palace. Ginger was shrewd, and the Qi Emperor was difficult to deal with, so efforts focused on the Eastern Palace. If they could provoke conflict between the two, they might benefit.
Xia Zhiyuan already harbored suspicions that could escalate into irreconcilable conflicts.
Three days later, their family was escorted back to the Xiao residence, still under strict surveillance.
The Eastern Palace announced plans to marry a concubine in a month, choosing the newly widowed An Furen, who was initially disqualified due to her status as a married woman. It’s unclear how the Eastern Palace facilitated this.
The rumors this would spark in Yanfeng could almost be predicted.
Most likely, rumors circulated about An Jin remarrying before her husband’s body was even cold and quickly becoming a concubine in the Eastern Palace, demonstrating a fickle nature. Surprisingly, she neither resisted these rumors nor shied away from their spread.
As long as An Jin was alive, he would seek her out.
Disagreements over the concubine’s release had created tension between the Eastern Palace and the Qi Emperor. An Jin continued to meet with the Eastern Palace, discussing life and ideals, which only deepened the rift with the Qi Emperor.
She relished her provocative role.
During this month, she explored numerous escape strategies. Leaving the Xiao residence was manageable, but escaping Yanfeng City posed a challenge. Even if they could flee, would they force the family into a life of exile? This was not a long-term solution.
Her parents felt guilt but did not blame her. With her father-in-law gone, she couldn’t let others suffer unfairly. A foolproof plan was essential.
If An Jin truly could not come, she would have to marry into the Eastern Palace and continue to incite discord between the father and son, as removing one would be a victory.
A month passed, and An Jin never appeared.
Once again donning the rosy veil, her heart was calm. This was not a wedding, just a transaction.
While dressing in front of the mirror, she felt her expression was unfamiliar, with cold corners of her eyes and eyebrows. The palace matrons knelt beside her, helping her with pure white pearls, while the hairdressing official spoke flattering words, though her eyes occasionally revealed disdain.
Her younger sister held her hand, eyes red.
The Eastern Palace honored their word, receiving her with the highest standards and bringing her into the palace. During the three bows and nine kowtows, her mind was elsewhere, wanting to finish quickly and think about the next step of the plan.
Red candles flickered, marking the moment of the bridal chamber.
Xia Zhiyuan gently lifted the red silk from his head, and they both froze for a moment.
They thought of An Jin. Three years ago, on their wedding night, he was also dressed in red. At that time, her heart was already in chaos, yet she tried to glare at him angrily.
Who would have thought he would be completely unconcerned, directly drinking and then moving to undress her?
It was then that she realized even someone as calm and composed as An Jin needed alcohol to boost his courage. Most of her memories with him were sweet and joyful, and she regretted awakening too late to respond to his feelings.
Xia Zhiyuan was momentarily dazed, staring at her with a soft smile, seemingly genuinely moved.
“On that day, my lady accidentally replaced the new imperial consort. It seems heaven had long given a sign.” He murmured, taking her hand. “A Yao. This is your given name, isn’t it?”
It was hard to get used to the Eastern Palace’s occasional transformation into a romantic young man, especially when it felt so genuine this time.
“A Yao.” Xia Zhiyuan brushed her hair. “This marriage is unavoidable for you, but for me, it is a long-awaited good fate.”
Staring at him, she didn’t know how to respond. His face radiated like a full moon. “A Yao, forget An Jin. Stay by my side and share this great rivers and mountains with me. Isn’t this better than being a widow?”
She turned away, muttering, “Your Highness is joking. An Jin is my husband and childhood sweetheart. No one can replace him.”
Xia Zhiyuan let go of her hand, silent for a moment. He regretted speaking freely, having planned to lay low and gain her trust.
“Your Ladyship can rest assured, this palace will not force you now.” He stood up and turned his back. “As long as Your Ladyship doesn’t forget our agreement.”
“Of course—” Before he could finish, he swayed and fell.
Turning around, two figures emerged from the heavy gauze curtains.
“They have finally come,” he thought, relief washing over him. Before leaving, he looked back at the Eastern Palace’s unconscious eyes. Now he was about to be abandoned at the altar for the second time, and it seemed this green light would become an unbearable lightness in the Eastern Palace’s life.
Chapter Fifty-Five: The Husband’s Scheme
I changed into an ordinary garment, put on a human skin mask, and boarded the carriage. It drove out of the palace gates, encountering almost no obstruction. Que’er and another unfamiliar woman sat across from me, and due to our tension, we hadn’t spoken.
