Chapter 191: Mystery of Origins

Xiao Mingshu's movements suddenly halted, their furious gaze fixed on the cracked mud figurine.

"Pick it up!" they said urgently.

Bai Wei hurried forward, carefully picking up the cracked mud figurine from the fragments.

In the crack of the mud embryo, one could faintly see that its interior was hollow.

"Your Majesty, there's something inside." Bai Wei's voice carried surprise and doubt.

Xiao Mingshu snatched the mud figurine, caring little about decorum, and forced both hands to pry along the crack!

With a crisp "crack" sound, the mud figurine shattered completely into two halves.

A thin, yellowed strip of paper fell from the hollow cavity into Xiao Mingshu's palm.

Their fingers trembled, they almost held their breath, and quickly unfolded the strip.

Only a single line of extremely small yet clear characters lay on it, the ink already somewhat aged.

When they read the line, Xiao Mingshu first widened their eyes wildly.

Then a wildly twisted smile, mixing ecstasy and venom, spread across their face.

They couldn't help letting out a series of sharp, triumphant laughs.

Bai Wei, frightened and at a loss, timidly asked, "Your Majesty, why are you laughing?"

Xiao Mingshu laughed so hard they could barely breathe, tears of laughter streaming down.

Pointing at the pile of mud figurine fragments on the ground, their voice warped with excitement, they said, "I laugh at some people! I laugh at that fool Wang Jingyi!"

"I've held this mud figurine for over ten years, day and night polishing it, thinking it was some important token of that scoundrel Wan Tang."

"Never thought to smash it open to see."

"The real secret, the thing that could cast her into a bottomless abyss, has always been hidden in its belly!"

"Ha ha! Truly Heaven aids me!"

Hearing this, Bai Wei was both shocked and delighted, hurriedly said, "Wang Jingyi probably only thought this item held extraordinary significance for the Virtuous Consort, which is why they treasured it so carefully."

"They might not even know the key within."

"Wan Tang, Wan Tang." Xiao Mingshu stopped laughing, their gaze turning ice‑cold, "All these years you've pretended to be a helpless, innocent orphan—what have you actually been hiding?!"

A triumphant, snarling look appeared on their face: "Now, let's see how you keep up the act!"

"What more can you use to fight me!"

Bai Wei seemed to recall something, whispering, "Your Majesty, Wang Jingyi did say back then that this mud figurine seemed to be a relic left by the Virtuous Consort's birth mother."

A flash of utmost malice glinted in Xiao Mingshu's eyes, "Indeed, a descendant of a treasonous rebel."

"From the moment she was born, she was sentenced to death!"

"I see this time, the Emperor will still protect you!"

【Ah, this is bad. The mud figurine shattered—its secret can no longer be hidden.】

【It would have been better if Wang Jingyi had taken this secret earlier; they could at most have manipulated Xu Chengyuan, now it has fallen into the Empress's hands, and the one left to manipulate is Wan Tang.】

【Ah, the mud figurine hides Wan Tang's mother's origins. Back then Yan Wang was also a bit slow, letting Wang Jingyi hand this thing to the Empress, claiming it was Wan Tang's birth mother.】

【Fortunately Xu Yanchuan's origins remain a secret, after all everyone still believes that if Xu Yanchuan falls out of favor, he is still Wang Jingyi's son.】

Wan Tang's mood today is good.

Today, she finally did what she wanted to do.

And she can finally mock Xiao Mingshu openly and boldly.

Wan Tang's front foot just stepped into the gate of Palace of Eternal Joy, the voice in her mind shaking her soul to the core!

Her legs instantly went weak, she almost collapsed to the ground,

Hastily reaching out to brace herself against a nearby peach tree, she barely steadied her trembling body.

Her complexion under the moonlight was as pale as paper.

"Virtuous Consort!"

Su Guiren, who was tiptoeing under the tree to pick peach blossoms, saw this and, frightened, dropped the small basket they held.

They ran over quickly, hurriedly supporting her arm, their eyes filled with genuine concern.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Your face looks terrible!"

"Are you feeling unwell?"

Wan Tang leaned on her arm's strength to stand steady, inhaled deeply.

She forced down the raging waves within her chest, forcing out a terribly weak smile: "It's nothing, just a sudden dizziness, perhaps from the wind."

Her gaze fell on Su Guiren's innocent, caring little face.

Trying to make her voice sound steady, "It's so late, why are you still out?"

Su Guiren, a bit embarrassed, pointed at the peach blossoms on the tree, whispering, "My brother loves drinking Peach Blossom Brew the most."

"I thought I'd quietly collect some petals in spring, and surprise him when the brew is ready."

Wan Tang followed the direction of her finger, looking at the tree full of blossoms glowing in the moonlight, her eyes suddenly stung with a sour ache.

At this moment, an indescribable feeling surged within her.

They could maintain such open sibling affection, express care and love so simply and directly.

And herself?

Fortunately, Xiao Mingshu only knows that the mud figurine is related to her birth mother, and still doesn't know Xu Yenchuan's true relation to her!

As long as she remains unaware of this, Grandfather's old case cannot yet reach Xu Yenchuan.

This is the only good news for now.

She forced a smile at Su Guiren, her tone especially gentle: "Your concern is appreciated."

It's just these tedious matters; let the servants handle them—why bother doing it yourself?

When the intention reaches him, your brother will naturally understand.

Su Guiren nodded happily, "Hmm! Thank the Virtuous Consort for your concern, I understand."

Wan Tang soothed her with two more words, then, using her strength, slowly straightened her posture, smiled, turned, and walked step by step toward the main hall.

However, just as her figure completely vanished beyond the main hall's gate, the forced calm and gentleness on her face instantly melted away.

She suddenly seized Xiao Shunzi's wrist, which followed close behind, with such force that it nearly crushed his bones.

Xiao Shunzi winced in pain but dared not speak, staring in terror at his own master.

In Wan Tang's eyes there was no trace of softness left, only a venomous killing intent and resolve.

Her voice was pressed down to a whisper, yet each word carried a bloody tone: "Xu Chengyuan can no longer stay."

Xiao Shunzi hurried to handle it, daring not to be careless.

That night was especially long and unbearable for Wan Tang.

Xiao Mingshu held that deadly lever, yet remained still; this deathly silence before the storm was more suffocating than blades clashing directly.

The more the Empress remained silent, the more Wan Tang's unease grew.

She knew she had to act, to find something that would make the Empress wary of a trap and not dare to cause trouble lightly.

And before that, you can only endure.

She tossed and turned, sleepless through the night.

The next day, Wan Tang forced herself to rally, holding her daughter Minghui in Yuhuayuan, appearing leisurely as she admired the flowers.

The sun shone brightly, the fragrance of flowers was rich, yet she was absent‑minded, her gaze occasionally sweeping the garden paths.

Sure enough, before long, Bai Wei appeared leading two junior palace maids, swaggering over.

Now, facing Wan Tang, she no longer showed any of her former caution or pretense.

Her chin was held high, her eyes filled with unabashed contempt and schadenfreude.

"Yo, isn't this the Virtuous Consort?" Bai Wei's voice was sharp, dripping with heavy sarcasm, "Now that you're in the eye of the storm, you still have the leisure to hold the Princess and come out to admire flowers?"

"Aren't you afraid the big tree will be uprooted by the wind and shatter into pieces?"

Wan Tang sneered inwardly, yet her face remained composed; she was even too lazy to look up at her, focusing only on teasing her daughter in her arms.

Seeing her completely disregard her, Bai Wei's anger flared, and she was about to utter something more harsh.

Wan Tang suddenly seemed to recall something, turned her head and whispered to Xiao Shunzi beside her, "Xiao Shunzi, didn't the Noble Consort say she would also come to admire the flowers today?"

"Did you send someone to invite her? Why hasn't she arrived yet?"

Xiao Shunzi immediately bowed, his voice neither loud nor soft, just clear enough for Bai Wei to hear, "Replying Lady, we have already sent someone to Jingren Palace to invite her; surely Noble Consort Hui will arrive shortly."

Upon hearing the words "Hui Guifei", Bai Wei's arrogant aura froze instantly, as if something had choked her, and a clear hint of fear flashed in her eyes.

She forced a cold laugh, "The Virtuous Consort really does have a wide circle of friends these days, climbing many high branches!"

She paused, then regained some confidence, bluntly retorted, "Unfortunately, this harem is ultimately led by the Empress above all!"

"No one can compare!"

Having said that, as if fearing she might truly encounter Hui Guifei, she glared fiercely at Wan Tang.

She twisted away, briskly walking with the maid, her silhouette exuding a hollow show of strength.

Xiao Shunzi watched Bai Wei's retreating direction, frowned and whispered, "Master, today Bai Wei is especially overbearing; why do you let her get away with it?"

Wan Tang looked at her babbling daughter in her arms and gave a bitter smile.

The smile carried fatigue: "It doesn't matter."

"What she says is irrelevant."

She lifted her head, her gaze turning toward Kunning Palace, and in a solemn tone instructed Xiao Shunzi:

"Pass the message on: during this period, anyone from our Palace of Eternal Joy, when in front of the Empress's people, must prioritize patience above all."

Jingren Palace.

Several Low-Rank Imperial Concubines gathered in a corner, speaking softly.

Seeing the eunuch from Wan Tang's palace arrive again, their eyes involuntarily glanced toward Li Pin.

Li Pin naturally also saw it; she instinctively smoothed her sideburns, her face showing a perfectly timed hint of embarrassment and restraint.

Facing the eunuch's direction, she spoke in a voice neither loud nor soft, just audible to those nearby.

"Return to report to the Virtuous Consort, my palace truly has no time today; the Second Prince is feeling unwell and cannot be left, please forgive us, Lady."

As soon as she finished speaking, Ning Daying bounded out of the Side Hall, hopping.

Hearing this, she scoffed without reservation.

She lifted her small face, her tone laced with unabashed mockery, "Lady Li Pin, you're overthinking, aren't you?"

"The Virtuous Consort's people in the palace came to invite my sister, Noble Consort Hui, not to invite me."

"What are you refusing here for?"

Li Pin's face flushed bright red in an instant, embarrassed and at a loss for what to do.

Ning Daying didn't even bother to glance at her again, cheerfully leading the eunuch toward the main hall.

After Ning Daying's figure vanished, those few nobles who had been as silent as cold cicadas dared to quietly gather around Li Pin.

They chattered, defending her, their tones tinged with a shared bitterness.

"Sister Li Pin, why do you endure her so?"

"Usually when we see Ning Daying, there's no choice; we must be extra careful."

"But you are a concubine, and you raise the Second Prince; why be so humble in giving her a single answer?"

"Exactly, she's far too overbearing!"

Li Pin's flushed cheeks gradually faded, leaving only deep helplessness and bitterness.

She sighed, her voice so low that only the few of them could hear it: "Shei let people think I'm Hui Guifei's beloved younger sister?"

She looked around, seeing that the faces of the crowd still held resentment.

She lowered her voice and said, "You all aren't unaware that back then the Virtuous Consort's favor was only because she had Ning Daying handle a small matter."

"After Hui Guifei found out, she forced the Virtuous Consort to suffer a considerable hardship."

She paused, a flash of alarm in her eyes, and said, "The most crucial thing is that the Emperor learned of it, and not only did he not blame Hui Guifei, he even went to Jingren Palace that very night."

"Do you still not understand the implication here?"

When those words were finished, the few Ladies of Grace surrounding them turned pale, and the slight resentment they had just felt was instantly replaced by a greater fear.

They glanced at each other, each seeing the same horror in the other's eyes.

Indeed, even the Virtuous Consort, who enjoys the Emperor's deep favor and wields formidable tactics, cannot gain any advantage before Hui Guifei's sisters.

These minor players, who cannot even compare a single finger to the Virtuous Consort, still dare to harbor any discontent?

And at that moment, from the main hall, Hui Guifei emerged with a cold laugh: "She tells me to go, so I go?"

"I, for my part, will not go!"