Chapter 122: with translation of chapter title

Wei Chun had long been unable to tolerate Song Xizhi's lofty bearing; what's more, back then Song Xizhi had even embarrassed her in front of many people at the Treasure Pavilion.

At that time, Song Xizhi was the eldest daughter of the Song family, someone everyone flocked to, known as the number one noble lady of Jingcheng.

Although Song Xizhi didn't say anything outright that day, the noble ladies of the capital still tacitly ostracized and isolated her.

Wei Chun originally had a chance to make a good marriage; the other party was the legitimate son of the Minister of Rites, in his twenties, talented and handsome, with good conduct.

Although she only got the chance to speak to that young master because of her connection to the Song family, a single remark from Song Xizhi made him ignore her completely!

After that, her days in the Wei household went from bad to worse, even her concubine sister could step on her head. How could Wei Chun not hate her?

Thus she blamed all her misfortune on Song Xizhi; the slight jealousy she once felt was magnified by this incident into hatred.

After the Song family fell, Wei Chun laughed wildly in the Wei residence, feeling extremely relieved and her complexion grew rosier. But not long after, news arrived that Song Xizhi was to marry the crown prince.

Wei Chun was so angry her lungs felt like they'd burst; she smashed the vases, calligraphy and paintings, and ornaments in her room to pieces! How could it be that Song Xizhi, now the daughter of a condemned official, is still wanted by the crown prince? The imperial family actually has such a deeply devoted sort!

She didn't believe it!

Wei Chun hated her to death, was jealous to death.

But though she felt jealousy and hatred, she lacked the means to do anything to Song Xizhi, so she could only darkly curse her to never have a good life, stabbing a voodoo doll of Song Xizhi every night.

As the saying goes, it's better to offend a gentleman than a petty person; Wei Chun is just such a person, offending her is like leaving oneself a hidden danger.

Until not long ago, Wei Chun inadvertently learned that Prince Chen was investigating a woman.

The sachet Prince Chen picked up, Wei Chun had seen before; the white peony on it was Song Xizhi's favorite.

Thus Wei Chun latched onto Prince Chen's connection, promising to help him get Song Xizhi into his hands.

Although Prince Chen is a prince, anyone with a bit of sense knows he has no real power, merely an idle prince; moreover, he will soon be sent to a remote fief—what future could marrying him offer?

Wei Chun thought, if Song Xizhi followed Prince Chen, she would never be able to establish herself in the capital again, and she could also avoid seeing her!

Coincidentally, Prince Chen was also interested in Song Xizhi. Such a good thing—why not do it?

Meanwhile, upon hearing that Song Xizhi was about to be made a consort to the crown prince, Prince Chen pondered briefly and felt this was an excellent opportunity to cause trouble for the emperor.

He knew well that among Emperor Xuānwén's several sons, the crown prince had always been the most favored.

After all, the late empress and the emperor were a couple married young, the crown prince is the eldest legitimate son, inherently noble. Plus, the crown prince lost his mother young, and over the years his fortunes have been rough, so the emperor feels extra pity and tolerance toward him.

Prince Chen naturally can't do anything to the emperor, but he can take out his frustration on the emperor's most beloved crown prince.

That Miss Song, I hear, is the crown prince's beloved.

Prince Chen originally had a soft, boneless courtesan in his arms; hearing this, he pushed her aside, sat up straight, and slowly stretched.

He said lazily, 'Where is she?'

Behind the thin pink curtain, Wei Chun couldn't see Prince Chen's face clearly, nor did she dare to look closely; after a glance she immediately lowered her eyes.

She respectfully said, 'She's in the Yunxiao Pavilion, listening to a famous actor perform downstairs. I invited her out under someone else's name; she usually doesn't like me, so if she saw me she'd likely be on guard, so...'

Since the last time she personally tried to secretly harm Shen Shuangning and failed, suffering a big loss, Wei Chun has become especially cautious.

Moreover, if this succeeds, the crown prince will surely investigate in secret; if he finds out it was her scheming behind the scenes, a lowly Wei family miss like her would surely be doomed.

In military maneuvers, a risky move requires extra caution.

So this time she invited Song Xizhi out under the name of the Xiao heir; Wei Chun herself would never dare to appear before Song Xizhi.

Indeed, Wei Chun guessed right; although Song Xizhi appears dignified and noble on the surface, inside she's still a wanton, lowly creature? Even though she's about to marry the crown prince, she dares to secretly meet with a 'former lover'.

Truly shameless!

Prince Chen, after all, was born in the palace and has weathered many storms; he naturally has plenty of tricks, so how could he not know this Wei family miss's little schemes? Still, he doesn't really care.

'I'll give you a few assistants; you just need to identify her. Once they bring her here, your task is done. After success, I'll grant you benefits, no less than promised.'

Saying this, Prince Chen lifted his hand and lifted the curtain.

Wei Chun heard the movement, gathered her courage, and took a look.

In the lamplight, Prince Chen's bare chest was covered with intersecting knife scars, hideous and frightening, interspersed with a few faint red marks that made her heart skip.

Prince Chen casually rested his elbow on his knee, his fingertips lightly pointing at her; his tone suddenly shifted, his gaze turning sharp and piercing.

'If you mess it up, you'll take her place.'

Wei Chun instantly felt her hair stand on end, quickly bowed her head: 'I will not disappoint Your Highness's expectations!'

Today the Yunxiao Pavilion invited a famous actor to perform, setting up a stage outdoors.

In the night, a cool breeze blew, causing Song Xizhi's apricot-yellow cloak to billow slightly.

Today's play is 'The Yellow Millet Dream'; the pleasant Wu dialect soft speech drew applause from the audience.

Song Xizhi, however, had no mind to listen; hearing this play made her feel uneasy inside.

She clasped her hands on her knees, her eyes occasionally scanning the surroundings, as if looking for someone.

The maid beside her didn't know why her mistress had suddenly come to the Yunxiao Pavilion to listen to the opera, and she lowered her head, remaining silent.

The spectators below didn't notice, but not far away a few shadowy figures swayed furtively.

Meanwhile, Su Mu'er and Xie Lin had been delayed in the palace for a while; when they left, they were an hour later than the time they had agreed to meet Shen Shuangning.

Xie Lin's complexion was still not good; usually when going to see Shen Shuangning he felt eager and anticipating, but now he both wants to go and doesn't want to.

He wants to go because he will depart on a long journey tomorrow and may not see her again; he doesn't want to because, naturally, a foreign princess clings to him like a plaster.

Who knows what scheme Su Mu'er is hatching; he suddenly wants to meet Shen Shuangning, with whom he hardly has any acquaintance, and Shen Shuangning actually agreed.

Xie Lin felt like he'd lost half his soul, his head big as two; when Su Mu'er spoke to him, he couldn't even be bothered to give a perfunctory reply.

Seeing Xie Lin's indifferent attitude toward him, Su Mu'er also stopped trying to warm up to him.

He snorted coldly in his heart, silently cursing him for not knowing what's good for him: if it weren't for her taking the initiative to meet Shen Shuangning, you, this face-obsessed fool, wouldn't even get to see your beloved!

Yunxiao Pavilion.

Wei Chun originally thought that with Prince Chen's people assisting, Song Xizhi was as good as caught; tonight she would surely be ruined, but who could have expected that an unexpected variable would appear midway—

The Xiao heir actually came himself!

Xiao Jingyuan came because he was carrying out the emperor's order to advise Prince Chen to restrain his nature and not constantly oppose the sovereign.

He originally meant to visit Prince Chen's manor, but upon reaching the gate he found that Prince Chen hardly ever returned there, instead spending all his days lingering at Cloud Pavilion, given over to feasting and revelry.

Having received the imperial order, he could not simply go through the motions, so Xiao Jingyuan had no choice but to switch to a carriage and head toward Cloud Pavilion.

Having just come from the Secretariat, Xiao Jingyuan wore a dark‑black cross‑collared robe whose lapels overlapped and covered his neck, fastening exactly at his prominent Adam's apple.

This accentuated the lines, making them clearer and adding a touch of composed heroism.

He stood tall in the distance, his bearing sharp and heroic like a sword on a mountain peak, exuding a somewhat suffocating pressure.

Behind him followed a stern subordinate wearing a sword at his waist, his bearing impressive.

Before them stood a respectful attendant of Cloud Pavilion, head bowed, speaking softly—clearly replying.

Wei Chun's heart leapt at the sight of Xiao Jingyuan, and she instantly knew something had gone wrong.

What bad luck—how could Xiao Jingyuan actually have come?!

She hid in the shadows, her back against the wall, concealing herself completely as her pulse raced; she only hoped that several of Prince Chen's lackeys had already seized Song Xizhi......

But when she cautiously peeked out, she saw a figure in light‑yellow gliding gracefully toward Xiao Jingyuan.

Who else could it be if not Song Xizhi?!

Wei Chun's heart sank instantly to the depths, her fingers clutching her cuffs tightly.

They hadn't succeeded?

Song Xizhi had encountered Xiao Jingyuan; with the keen wit of the Song family's eldest daughter, she would realize tonight was a setup. Wei Chun knew she had no chance left.

She deserved to die!

Wei Chun couldn't help but complain: several grown men couldn't even capture a weak woman—utterly useless! If she had known, she would have gone herself!

Prince Chen's threat seemed to ring in her ears; Wei Chun shivered violently—Prince Chen was no good man, and she certainly did not want to be his consort!

Wei Chun was about to flee when, just then, her maid came running up excitedly: 'Miss, they say they've caught someone!'

Wei Chun froze.

Caught?

Song Xizhi isn't still over there? She wouldn't mistake that face, would she?

Immediately, an unbelievable thought struck her: they had seized the wrong person!

When Wei Chun hurried over and entered the dim, still‑lingering‑with‑allure room, she caught sight from afar of a light‑yellow cloth corner hanging down from the bedside——

Obviously someone lay on the couch.

Prince Chen was nowhere to be seen—not in the room, and no one else was present.

Thus Wei Chun took a breath, strode over, and flung open the pink‑gauze canopy.

Upon seeing that excessively beautiful face, Wei Chun's eyes widened.

It was Shen Shuangning!

For a moment, Wei Chun's expression shifted repeatedly, her breath quickening involuntarily.

Those who ought not to be here all appeared.

She fixed her gaze on Shen Shuangning's face, then gritted her teeth and decided to go along with the mistake.

Wei Chun bent down, swiftly removed Shen Shuangning's garments layer by layer, muttering to herself:

"Who made you so unlucky, insisting on coming to Cloud Pavilion tonight and wearing clothes of a similar hue—when you run into this sort of thing, just accept it; it seems heaven had already arranged it, that young marquis abandoned you, yet sent a prince your way."

"Both are imperial relations; the Xie family has already fallen, marrying Prince Chen wouldn't be bad, don't you agree?"

"Who knows, when you wake you might even thank fate's arrangement—and thank me."