Chapter 157: Her Story (Second Update)

"Before speaking of her story, one must mention a woman."

"The culprit who granted that child life, but also pressed this heaviest of fates onto her shoulders."

"Let us just call her the Zhao woman."

Even though she was speaking of her own mother, Li Fengyao's tone did not change in the slightest, as if she were mentioning an entirely unrelated stranger.

"She was a legitimate daughter of a branch family of the Zhao Family of Lingnan, but from a young age, she was kept far from her parents and sent to the main family to be fostered."

"Of course, although it was called fostering in name, her status in the main family was actually that of a servant; she had to attend to the daily needs of the main family's daughters of the same age."

"Very strange, isn't it? Even though she was also a legitimate daughter, she had to do such things."

"As a member of a branch family, during those years in the main family, she learned early on the warmth and coldness of the Earthly Realm... don't you find it ridiculous? Even though they shared the same surname and were of the same kin, they were more ruthless when treating their own blood than they were to outsiders."

Ren Yidao was silent and did not answer, raising his hand to rest it upon her waist.

Li Fengyao did not need an answer; she only needed a listener to hear her tell this story, and that was enough.

"Fortunately, she was born with a good appearance, and as she grew, she became increasingly outstanding, which allowed her to stand out among the branch family members and become... a maidservant attending to the main family's legitimate daughter."

Hmph.

With a sneer tugging at the corner of her mouth, Li Fengyao gave a light hum and continued:

"It was also in that year that she met a clan sister who looked very similar to her, the then-eldest daughter of the Zhao Family."

"Although the two looked alike, and although both were legitimate daughters, their fates were diametrically opposed."

"The eldest daughter of the Zhao Family not only enjoyed a life of luxury that the Zhao woman had never imagined, but also had an excellent marriage contract set early on, relying on the shade of her ancestors."

"A marriage alliance with the imperial family, and with an outstanding prince who had long enjoyed a great reputation."

"For the first time in her life, she felt resentment toward fate; she... was jealous."

Although Li Fengyao's tone sounded calm, even carrying a trace of contempt, when she reached this point, she still unconsciously clenched her fist.

"But even if she was jealous, nothing would change, so she hid the thoughts in her heart deep away."

"While performing all her work to perfection, she secretly imitated every move of the eldest daughter of the Zhao Family."

"She was waiting, waiting for an opportunity."

"When the eldest daughter of the Zhao Family married, she also successfully entered the Imperial Palace as a dowry maid."

"But this did not quickly allow her to get her wish; that prince did not like the eldest daughter of the Zhao Family, and consequently, the Zhao woman, who looked similar to her, was also ignored and cold-shouldered."

Recalling the story Ran Guifei had mentioned in passing earlier, Li Long was likely forced into marriage by the First Emperor at that time, his heart filled with pent-up anger, and he would have felt annoyed just looking at the Zhao daughter for an extra second.

"But that didn't matter; she had already waited for many years, and she didn't mind continuing to wait."

"Finally, after many years, she waited for an opportunity."

"Not long after the Eldest Prince was born, she successfully climbed up to the Emperor, whose temperament had changed, and after one night of pleasure, she obtained what she wanted."

"A child, a dragon seed that possessed everything from the moment of birth."

Li Fengyao laughed, her voice full of mockery.

"But she was still not satisfied; she wanted her child to possess more."

"The branch family had a secret heirloom passed down through generations, that Jade Ring, which could change a person's appearance and manifest the exact opposite side."

"Male becomes female, female becomes male; yin and yang are inverted, the five elements are thrown into chaos."

"The Zhao woman had long since made full preparations."

"After conceiving the dragon seed, she fled far away alone, gave birth in solitude, and immediately placed the Jade Ring on the child."

"In this way, no matter the result, her child would be a boy."

Clenching the Jade Ring in her hand tightly, Li Fengyao's gaze was dim, as if she saw that night from long ago.

"Just like that, a naturally gifted Second Prince appeared in Wentian City."

After hearing the story of the Zhao woman, Ren Yidao could not help but feel some emotion.

He finally understood where that viper-like temperament in Li Fengyao came from.

Neither this mother nor daughter were kind-hearted people.

"As for her final end, it was so boring it even makes me want to laugh."

"And when she returned to the palace with the Second Prince, the eldest daughter of the Zhao Family, who had already become the Empress, was furious and locked her in confinement, forbidding her from going out again."

"That was not all; she also secretly bestowed a cup of poisoned wine."

"The Zhao woman knew the wine was poisonous, but she still drank it willingly."

"Because she knew she had already won."

"Her child already had a life completely different from her own."

"After she died, the child was logically adopted by her kinswoman, that Empress who was the mother of the world, as her second son."

"And this girl, who had been raised as a boy since childhood, did not truly understand how she differed from others until she was six."

"When she truly finished reading the message the Zhao woman had hidden in the Jade Ring, she sat in silence and thought for a long time."

"On that night, when she took off the Jade Ring for the first time, she finally understood who she really was and what kind of life she had been assigned."

"The gender was fake, the identity was fake; in this Imperial Palace, nothing belonged to her, including her own life."

Ren Yidao narrowed his eyes; he could not imagine what kind of impact that situation would have on a child whose mind had not yet matured.

Confusion? Pain? Or perhaps... would she collapse?

Li Fengyao gave him the answer.

"But she did not collapse; instead, she reached a conclusion."

Adjusting her posture, Li Fengyao climbed up from Ren Yidao's chest and looked down at the man beneath her.

"Because she had nothing, therefore... she had to obtain it."

She said:

"Because she had nothing, she wanted to grasp everything in the palm of her hand."

"Power, status, or even that insignificant wealth... she wants to hold them all in the palm of her hand."

"She has grown up and become exactly what the Zhao clan hoped for."

"Because she wants them, she will spare no cost to obtain her goals; even if they are in someone else's hands, she will find a way to snatch them into her own."

"It is exactly the same, isn't it?"

The daughter, in the end, still turned into the image of her mother.

Her blood flows with her lineage, genuine and authentic.

Moreover, compared to her mother who could only constantly wait for the right moment, she is better at taking the initiative to strike.

Ren Yidao was silent for a moment, wanting to say something, but was covered by a slender hand.

"Having finished listening to my story, I will ask you again now."

"Do you want to continue?"