Feng Caiwei was resting under the banyan tree in the courtyard, enjoying the shade.
She hadn’t left the house in many days. Recently, she often dreamed of Feng Jun—he would shout something miserably in her ear, his face haggard and distorted.
But in the end, those scenes were always interrupted by the smiling face of Qi Yuan.
She kept dreaming of the moment Qi Yuan set the fire.
Every time she woke up from those dreams, her hatred for Qi Yuan grew deeper.
Why?
Why?!
Did Feng Jun really deserve to die?
Both Qi Yuan and Xiao Yunting knew full well that he hadn’t committed a crime deserving of death. In the end, it was simply because Qi Yuan was narrow-minded and vindictive.
And Xiao Yunting—as the empire’s future heir—still indulged and shielded her, allowing her to rise above the law.
A fool like him—when he becomes emperor, he’ll be a tyrant for sure.
He wasn’t worth even a sliver of her attention.
A breeze blew through. The courtyard door creaked open. She sat up from her reclining chair, set her book down, and immediately saw Feng Yuzhang.
This time, he was much calmer than the last few occasions when he had stormed in with harsh words.
He looked at her and said in a low voice, “The Nanan County Prince is here to see you.”
Xiao Jingzhao.
Feng Caiwei’s lips curled into a faint smile. She rose and gave Xiao Jingzhao a proper greeting.
Feng Yuzhang stepped out to give them privacy.
He knew that when Xiao Jingzhao said he had “a few words,” it would not be just a casual chat.
Meanwhile, Madam Feng, upon hearing her husband had returned, couldn’t wait to ask: “What’s the Nanan County Prince here for?”
She was deeply worried that the prince had brought more bad news.
Feng Yuzhang was also distracted. After being asked several times, he finally came back to his senses and replied solemnly: “Nothing.”
“Then where is the prince?” Madam Feng frowned.
—
Xiao Jingzhao was now sitting across from Feng Caiwei. As soon as he noticed the bowl of sour plum soup on the stone table in front of her, he chuckled. “Seems like you’re quite at ease these days.”
“If I don’t stay calm and composed, will crying and wailing change anything?” Feng Caiwei said with a faint smile. But her eyes were sharp and cold. “I won’t shed a single tear. I want those who wronged me to live worse than death.”
Why should she be the one crying?
True ability was making others cry.
Xiao Jingzhao laughed aloud. “It shows. Miss Feng, you’re truly extraordinary. Even managed to bring Daoist Li Changqing into the picture. If my brother knew you had that kind of power, he’d regret everything.”
Just imagining the scene brought him a strange amusement.
He let out a long sigh in his heart.
He knew it—women are not to be trifled with.
But Xiao Yunting didn’t understand that.
Tsk. He was the one who personally pushed the Feng family away. Would he regret it?
Feng Caiwei took a sip of the sour plum soup, dabbed her mouth with a handkerchief, and sneered: “That has nothing to do with me anymore. The one who abandoned me—I’ll never look back at him again.”
She was going to watch Xiao Yunting lose everything, piece by piece.
Xiao Jingzhao still wore his gentle smile. “Miss Feng is wise. Only the wise know when to cut losses.”
He had once said: A person must choose the right path. Otherwise, they’ll only walk further and further down the wrong one.
Feng Caiwei, it seemed, knew how to choose.
They exchanged a glance. She was the first to speak: “They want to get married? I’ll make sure they never succeed in this life.”
Xiao Jingzhao didn’t think she was being unrealistic.
Emperor Yongchang had been obsessed with Daoism for years—and had once distanced himself from the Crown Prince entirely because of one word from Li Changqing.
So, to ruin this marriage proposal? Not hard at all.
He simply asked in turn: “So what do you plan to do?”
Feng Caiwei gave him a cold glance, raised her eyebrows, and sneered: “Simple. How can someone inauspicious become the Imperial Grandson’s beloved consort?”
Xiao Jingzhao immediately understood.
Of course—that made perfect sense.
Back then, Li Changqing had claimed the Crown Prince’s fate was incompatible with Emperor Yongchang’s, that father and son could not coexist peacefully. Since then, the emperor had been avoiding his own son.
If Li Changqing now said that Qi Yuan’s fate was inauspicious…
The emperor might just come to detest the entire Qi family.
Indeed—when it came to ruthless schemes, no one surpassed a woman.
Especially a woman driven mad by hatred.
And when the time came, what would Xiao Yunting do?
If he insisted on the marriage, the emperor would be the first to become irritated with him.
But if he didn’t insist—then it would all be over. The bond between him and the Qi family would be severed.
“Brilliant.” Xiao Jingzhao leisurely clapped his hands. “Miss Feng, you truly are sharp as ice and snow.”
Feng Caiwei looked at him coolly. “Your Highness, I’ve chosen the right path. If it suits me, I’ll walk it without hesitation.”
And the paths she didn’t choose—there was no need for them to even exist.
Xiao Jingzhao gave a soft chuckle. “I’ll go ask my Royal father to let me marry you as my Princess Consort. Miss Feng…” He extended a hand. “Let’s work well together.”
Feng Caiwei reached out and clapped his hand, expressionless. Then she stood up. “Your Highness, arrange things quickly. I can’t wait to watch the show.”
She wanted to see how Xiao Yunting would choose.
Promises?
Men’s promises? If those could be trusted, then pigs could climb trees.
She was going to watch Qi Yuan fall from her pedestal.
Xiao Jingzhao smiled again. “Don’t worry.”
He was more eager than Feng Caiwei herself.
He had endured long enough—finally, he could take a breath.
—
After Xiao Jingzhao left, Feng Yuzhang hurriedly called Feng Caiwei over. Frowning, he asked: “What exactly did the Nanan County Prince say to you?”
He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going on between the two of them.
And it unsettled him deeply.
The last time he’d been kept in the dark, Feng Jun had ended up dead.
Feng Yuzhang didn’t trust the younger generation’s judgment.
He stared at Feng Caiwei. “You need to understand—you’re a Feng. Everything you do affects this family’s future.”
“Exactly,” Feng Caiwei turned and looked at him, a half-smile on her lips. “If I find a good future, won’t that be good for the Feng family too? When I was worthless, Grandfather couldn’t stand the sight of me. Now I’m working hard to become someone he can stand to look at.”
Feng Yuzhang’s brows furrowed even deeper. He stared at her and said slowly, “I don’t care what you’re planning. But if you drag the Feng family down with you, don’t blame me for disowning you as my granddaughter!”
Feng Caiwei didn’t care at all.
Once she succeeded—once she became the Prince Consort and gained the emperor’s favor—the Fengs wouldn’t need her kindness. They would come groveling for it on their own.
She lowered her eyes and glanced at the book in her hand.
Inside, tucked between the pages, was a letter from Qi Wang.
It detailed Li Changqing’s abilities and explained how to make contact with him.
She had already done it.
Qi Wang had been a great help.
