Eunuch Xu was utterly shocked. He knew Qi Wang’s temperament well—he was cruel and cunning on the surface, but deep down, he was just a spoiled child who believed the world belonged to him.
He immediately dropped to his knees with a loud thud and pleaded: “Your Highness, you must not do this!”
Xiao Yunting was in Jiangxi for disaster relief. Ultimately, it was Emperor Yongchang gradually entrusting him with more power, signaling a shift in imperial favor.
If Xiao Yunting were to die in Jiangxi, even if Qi Wang left no evidence behind, things would still go very badly for him.
It was simply not a profitable move.
But Qi Wang wouldn’t listen. His mind was full of the words in that letter.
Feng Caiwei had said: “Xiao Yunting loves Qi Yuan deeply, and Qi Yuan feels the same.”
Qi Yuan feels the same. Those words stabbed into his chest like a curse, tearing his heart into shreds.
Why?!
Hadn’t he been good enough to Qi Yuan?
In his past life, he had opposed officials for her, fallen out with strategists for her, turned against his own mother and sister for her.
He had done so much—yet none of it mattered to her.
Why?!
What did Xiao Yunting have that he didn’t?
Why did she treat Xiao Yunting so specially, in this life and the last?
She said he didn’t have the capacity to truly love.
But she wasn’t him—how could she know what was in his heart?
The study was dead silent. Qi Wang sat at his desk and suddenly noticed the camellias blooming on the windowsill.
In their past life, Qi Yuan had loved camellias the most.
He had once ordered the greenhouse to grow them all year round. Even now, wherever he went, there would always be a pot of camellias in his room.
If this isn’t love, then what is?
It didn’t matter.
He sneered inwardly.
It didn’t matter that she didn’t love him now. All he had to do… was kill everyone she loved.
He had come to accept the fact that she truly didn’t love him. But so what?
It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered.
He could break her limbs and keep her locked in his residence.
If she kept saying things he didn’t like to hear—then he’d rip out her tongue.
So long as she stayed obediently by his side, that was enough.
He turned a cold gaze to Eunuch Xu. “I won’t repeat myself.”
Eunuch Xu’s heart plummeted. He couldn’t understand Qi Wang at all.
He clearly wanted to destroy Miss Qi, and yet—he couldn’t let her go.
Even a eunuch like him understood that if you truly liked someone, you should be good to them.
Who acts like this when they like someone?
But Qi Wang wouldn’t hear reason. Eunuch Xu could only sigh deeply: “Yes, Your Highness.”
Qi Wang sat for a long time in silence. As he walked toward the window, he paused again to stare at the camellias.
What made his flowers different from Xiao Yunting’s?
After a long silence, he suddenly smashed the vase to the ground. Then he summoned Jinbao: “Tell the people in the capital—leave the rest to Feng Caiwei. They’ll follow her lead.”
Feng Caiwei was insane anyway.
And he… didn’t even know what he really wanted anymore.
But one thing was clear: he wouldn’t be the only one suffering in this world.
—
At this moment, Feng Caiwei had shed her former cowardice and was basking in smug satisfaction.
Turns out, to truly succeed, you had to abandon shame and dignity.
What were refinement and etiquette good for?
Could they feed you, clothe you, or get you what you wanted?
All she knew was—she would get what she wanted, no matter the cost.
But Feng Yuzhang couldn’t feel happy at all.
He couldn’t stop thinking about what Empress Feng had said. The title of County Wangfei —how long could someone scheme their way into such a title and hold onto it?
So when Madam Feng suggested inviting friends and family to celebrate, Feng Yuzhang barked: “No need! Just pretend this never happened. Let her do as she pleases!”
He couldn’t control Feng Caiwei anymore.
Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t—she had the Nanan County Prince to back her.
Madam Feng was stunned by his cold attitude: “My Lord, she’s still our granddaughter—why treat her like an enemy?”
“She’s the one trying to destroy this family!” Feng Yuzhang frowned, exhausted. “His Highness despises her. Every step she takes drags the entire Feng family closer to ruin.”
And worse—Feng Caiwei had become a ticking time bomb.
She had evidence that years ago, the Feng family switched identities and smuggled Xiao Yunting to Longhu Mountain.
Sure, Emperor Yongchang might believe they were trying to protect Xiao Yunting.
But what if he thought it was all a ploy from the beginning to deceive him?
That was a consequence neither he nor the Empress could afford.
Madam Feng trembled, tears falling from her eyes. “How did it come to this…?”
Their grandson was dead. Their granddaughter had turned on them.
Their family… no longer felt like a family.
Feng Yuzhang gave a bitter smile. “I think now… we were simply too ambitious. When we returned to the capital, we should’ve asked His Highness what he wanted—”
Not assume that Xiao Yunting owed them the title of Imperial Grandson Consort in return.
But it was too late now. He sighed heavily. “The priority now is to clean up what we can. I’ll handle the past discretely. We just need to wait for His Highness to reply. As for Caiwei…”
Feng Yuzhang closed his eyes. “Once this matter is settled—she can’t stay.”
Madam Feng gasped and gripped his hand. “My Lord!”
“Enough.” Feng Yuzhang looked at her coldly. “She’s not the only one we must consider. She’s not our only granddaughter. We’ve struggled just to preserve this small remnant of our family—we can’t let her drag us all to h*ll with her.”
Madam Feng broke down, sobbing.
—
Feng Caiwei, on the other hand, showed no sign of worry.
Hearing that Xiao Yunting had left the capital, she clicked her tongue and looked at Xiao Jingzhao across the table with a sly smile. “Your Highness, if you keep looking like the world owes you something, it really makes me lose face.”
Xiao Jingzhao sneered faintly, his expression laced with mockery. “So you do care about face? That’s a surprise, Miss Feng.”
There was no more pretense—his disgust was written all over his face.
But Feng Caiwei didn’t care at all.
What good is love?
Absolutely none.
She didn’t need Xiao Jingzhao’s affection—she needed him to give her the title of County Wangfei, and later, the title of Imperial Grandson Consort.
Only power was truly hers.
She leaned back casually and clicked her tongue mockingly. “Since Your Highness has already chosen your path, why act like the victim? In the end, aren’t you the one who needs a lunatic like me to stir things up for you?”
