"Bitch, if you hadn't impersonated Jiao Jiao to marry back then, this king would have been with the woman he loved! Now that you're dead, I can marry the woman I love!"
Outside, a fierce wind raged, and piercing thunder boomed over the side courtyard of Prince Ning's mansion!
"Crack!" A bolt of lightning illuminated everything in the room for an instant!
Song Chaoyu gritted her teeth, exerting all her strength, but still couldn't break free from the restraints of the maids and wet nurses.
A wet nurse with a ferocious face held a bowl of poison, about to force it down Song Chaoyu's throat.
And the one who ordered these wet nurses to force-feed Song Chaoyu was none other than Song Chaoyu's nominal husband, Prince Ning, Mu Hansu, who was about to become the Crown Prince.
Mu Hansu, clad in silver robes and golden boots, stood before Song Chaoyu with his hands behind his back, staring at her coldly. His voice was colder than the spring rain: "You venomous woman, you occupied this king's position as the official consort for three years. It's time to pay it back!"
"No! I didn't... I really..."
Even though her chin was held and she had already swallowed more than half a bowl of poison, she still struggled desperately, her voice almost hoarse as she tried to prove her innocence to Mu Hansu.
However, her words of explanation were drowned out by the cruel hands of the maids and wet nurses before she could utter another sound!
Three years ago, Song Chaoyu was merely an illegitimate daughter raised by the Song family on their estate.
Prince Ning had taken a liking to Song Yanjiao, the legitimate daughter of the Song family, and sought to marry her. However, the Song family looked down upon Prince Ning, who was not favored at the time, and was unwilling to marry their legitimate daughter Song Yanjiao into Prince Ning's mansion. It was then that they remembered Song Chaoyu, an illegitimate daughter.
For her concubine mother, she was forced to marry in her place. On their wedding night, Prince Ning discovered the truth and confined her to the side courtyard.
For three full years, he paid her no attention.
Now, Prince Ning had overthrown the Crown Prince and gained power. To curry favor, the Song family immediately shifted all blame onto Song Chaoyu!
Meanwhile, the legitimate daughter of the Song family, Song Yanjiao, was like the purest white lotus in the deep, murky waters.
Prince Ning was currently acting on Song Yanjiao's words, intending to kill her – Song Chaoyu – to "make room" for Song Yanjiao to become the Princess of Ning.
And at this very moment, the "instigator," Song Yanjiao, stood behind Prince Ning, Mu Hansu, looking pitiful.
She looked at Song Chaoyu, who was already writhing on the ground in unbearable pain, with a wronged expression, her eyes unable to hide her mockery: "Sister, why put yourself through this? If you hadn't impersonated me to marry Prince Ning back then, you wouldn't be suffering this calamity now. Sister, rest in peace. After you die, I will recite scriptures for your soul."
Song Chaoyu was not foolish; she knew Song Yanjiao's words were merely "adding fuel to the fire."
She realized that perhaps Song Yanjiao wasn't the only one who wanted her dead?
The poison caused Song Chaoyu's abdomen to burn as if scorched by fire.
She raised her head, her eyes carrying a hint of blood-red light, her voice hoarse: "Sister... why must you step on my corpse to ascend to the position of Princess of Ning?"
As soon as she spoke, dark red poisoned blood gushed from her mouth. The agony of the poison was bone-piercing.
Song Yanjiao, however, put on a surprised and wronged expression, stepping forward to tug at Mu Hansu's sleeve: "Your Highness, don't believe her!"
"Heh!"
Mu Hansu sneered, casually pulling Song Yanjiao into his embrace and gently comforting her: "This king will naturally not believe this venomous woman!"
Three years of time had been wasted in this desolate, cold courtyard. Now, even the desire to cling to life had become a luxury?!
Blood continued to pour from Song Chaoyu's throat, mixing with the rainwater before her to form the most sordid color in the world.
She desperately wanted to ask her elder sister if her usual elegant, generous, and considerate demeanor was all an act.
She also wanted to ask this so-called "husband" if he truly didn't know her injustice, or if he was merely pretending not to know for the sake of appearances. But Song Chaoyu could no longer ask anything. Prince Ning turned to leave without looking back, only saying to Song Yanjiao with his usual tenderness: "Jiaojiao, thank you for handling the aftermath!"
Song Yanjiao smiled and stepped forward, raising the fire starter in her hand and tossing it onto the tattered curtain that Song Chaoyu had torn off in her pain.
The flames flared up, casting Song Yanjiao's smiling face in a flickering light: "Good sister, I'm sorry! But for someone of your status to be the Princess of Ning for three years is truly a stroke of luck. You're just an illegitimate daughter; you should be my stepping stone! If you don't die, and others find out the truth later, how can I, the official consort, maintain my authority?"
Song Yanjiao's arrogant demeanor made Song Chaoyu struggle forward, grabbing her ankle.
Song Yanjiao, however, was not afraid. Maids and wet nurses from behind her stepped forward and cruelly stomped on Song Chaoyu's wrist.
"Sister, have a good journey!"
Song Yanjiao's smile vanished. As Song Chaoyu's wrist snapped with a "crack," she pulled her ankle free and drifted away.
Her robes and skirt, amidst the raging flames, seemed like an Asura from hell treading on a fire lotus.
All that remained was Song Chaoyu's body, gradually engulfed by the flames.
And a heart-wrenching cry that no one heard.
—On the estate outside the capital—
When the maid Xun Lu, holding a brocade dress embroidered with blooming flowers, the latest fashion in the capital, pushed open the door to the side room of the estate, Song Chaoyu had already changed into a light blue lily-patterned silk dress.
She sat before the dressing table and coldly uttered, "Take it away!"
Heaven truly had eyes, allowing her to be reborn five years ago to this day, when she returned to the Song mansion. Everything was still salvageable!
Hearing Song Chaoyu's words, Xun Lu was puzzled, staring at the simple silk dress on Song Chaoyu with a frown: "Why aren't you wearing it, miss? From today onwards, you'll be a proper young lady of the Minister's mansion! This dress is so beautiful!"
Song Chaoyu didn't answer immediately. Her gaze fell on the brocade dress embroidered with blooming flowers. She remembered that on this day five years ago, her mother, having become pregnant again, was finally able to return to the Song family. However, she was met with strong resistance from the Song family's main wife and several concubines, which caused her father to dislike her even before she returned to the Song mansion.
And this embroidered silk dress was a key fuse!
"Put it away. This silk dress is perfectly fine. I am not the legitimate daughter, not even a concubine's daughter. Wearing this peony-red embroidered silk dress, what would I look like?" Song Chaoyu stood up and said indifferently, "Also, don't say those words again. A young lady of the Minister's mansion? I can't afford such a title!"
Xun Lu's mouth opened, feeling that Song Chaoyu had been somewhat different since she woke up from her high fever ten days ago.
Watching Xun Lu's retreating back, Song Chaoyu's eyes narrowed slightly.
In her past life, she had always treated Xun Lu as a sister, but when she was confined to the side courtyard, Xun Lu had climbed into Mu Hansu's bed.
Xun Lu had always claimed it was for her own sake, hah. Whether it was true or not, there was still time.
She would eventually see clearly!