murderous intent

So she made a big deal out of that letter that hadn't been completely burned and still had half a stick of ashes left.

Miao Yiyun felt no remorse whatsoever. On the contrary, she scoffed at the private relationship between Lin Xu and Fu Qing.

After all, his own spies were spread throughout the entire capital, so what couldn't they find out? Fu Qing was nothing more than a courtesan, as worthless as a reed. Lin Xu was having an affair with someone like that... how could she be considered a lady from a prestigious family?

When her subordinates found the letter, Miao Yiyun looked at the ashes in her hand and couldn't help but laugh.

She had long known that Lin Xu wouldn't be so simple. Under the guise of rescuing her useless cousin in a time of crisis, he had secretly planned his escape route.

If the incident comes to light, and she and her cousin manage to escape unscathed, wouldn't Princess Kunrou be left alone, heartbroken?

When Miao Yiyun handed the letter to Liao Yan, she inevitably stirred up trouble again.

"...Although Lin Xu claims to be deeply in love with her husband, that second son of the Dou family is nothing but a pretty face. Ordinary women wouldn't even look at such behavior. You often say that Lin Xu is intelligent, so how could she possibly admire such a frivolous man?"

"...Have you ever considered that from the very beginning, Lin Xu was merely using you? She approached you only for your power, so that she could better advance her own interests and secure a future for her Lin family? Think about it carefully, if it weren't for her slander, how could you have chosen her cousin to go south to join the army..."

"So, in my opinion, the person Lin Xu truly loves is her cousin. Just like those two fake death pills, she always wanted to keep you, Princess, in the dark, using you to secure her cousin's future while simultaneously using your power and reputation to save him from danger... Even if something really happened, she had already prepared a way out, but that way out didn't include you..."

Upon hearing this, Liao Yan's striking eyebrows furrowed, and an endless chill slowly rose in her eyes, her red lips pressed into a tight line—

Miao Yiyun saw this and couldn't help but feel smug.

Everything turned out exactly as she expected. From childhood to adulthood, the princess always had this expression whenever she was angry.

She was overjoyed and ready to hear Liao Yan's evaluation of Lin Xu, but then she saw Liao Yan's eyes, which were like a cold mist, look at her. With just one glance, she felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave.

"And what about you, Yiyin?"

Before Miao Yiyun could react, Liao Yan opened his lips, his face ashen, and said softly, word by word:

"And what about you, Yiyun? We grew up together, and now...aren't you also plotting against me?"

Miao Yiyun froze. She hadn't expected Liao Yan to say that, and was about to explain when she realized her lips were incredibly dry. Suddenly, she didn't know what to say…

Liao Yan's dark eyes were devoid of light as he silently gazed at her, his voice utterly calm:

"That's true. People who have ever come close to me are either after power, after profit, or after a few envious glances from others. I've been used to it since I was a child."

Liao Yan shifted her gaze and looked up at the dark clouds outside the window. They were as thick as spilled ink, yet they refused to let a single drop of rain fall. They gathered on the horizon, adding to the sense of unease.

She let out a soft sigh.

"Since I can't avoid being used, I might as well choose someone who can truly be of use to me and bring me some benefits. It's a win-win situation, and I'll feel at ease."

Miao Yiyun stood there stunned, unable to resist opening her mouth to argue further: "But...but Lin Xu is clearly plotting against you, he's a very cunning person..."

But then Liao Yan withdrew his gaze and took a few steps closer to her.

Liao Yan reached out and brushed the delicately blooming crabapple blossom by her temple, which still had a few dewdrops clinging to it.

"She schemed against me, yet she never harmed me in the slightest. On the contrary, although her schemes are somewhat immature now, if given time, when she were to truly scheme against the world... she might not be inferior to those old pedantic scholars who are full of pedantry."

Whenever Liao Yan mentioned Lin Xu, her usually icy expression would inexplicably soften, something she herself hadn't noticed, but Miao Yiyun clearly saw it and couldn't help but feel a pang of pain in her heart.

Liao Yan lowered his head to look at Miao Yiyun, his eyes suddenly clouded with a misty haze. That look instantly made Miao Yiyun even more displeased.

That color clearly showed pity and sorrow for her.

"—But what about you, Yiyun? You're scheming against me like this now, and you've even persuaded my father, all just to marry the Third Prince. For that so-called wealth and glory, which is actually a cage from which you can't escape at all... Are you really willing to trade your current freedom for someone who doesn't love you at all, and even a life where you have to rely on his favor for the rest of your life?"

Miao Yiyun blushed; she couldn't bear Liao Yan's pitying expression.

She forced a smile and retorted, "There's nothing ridiculous about my choice to be above everyone else."

Miao Yiyun later only remembered that night, when Liao Yan listened to her words and remained silent for a long time before finally sighing softly:

“I can help you marry him. But since you’ve made your choice, you shouldn’t regret it.”

…………

Although the matter was eventually resolved, even months later, Miao Yiyun still felt very unhappy when she thought about it again.

Whenever she was alone, whenever she thought of the trace of pity in Liao Yan's eyes back then, she felt as if something had pierced her whole body.

She's always been stubborn and won't easily back down!

She was determined to prove to Liao Yan, to the Princess, and to her father that she, Miao Yiyun, was born to be superior to others!

Miao Yiyun bit her lower lip tightly, lost in thought, and didn't even notice the maid beside her calling her softly.

Miao Yiyun only snapped out of her daze when she heard steady footsteps approaching outside the window.

She looked out the window.

The moonlight and candlelight intertwined, casting an elongated shadow of the person slowly approaching in the corridor. A single glance at that sharply defined profile sent a shiver down her spine. She was momentarily unsure whether to feel joy or sorrow.

Why did the Third Prince suddenly return at this time?

While still in a daze, it was the alert maid beside her who gently nudged her, bringing Miao Yiyun back to her senses. She quickly stood up and walked towards the figure outside the hall.

"You're back?"

Perhaps she was too flustered, because her voice unconsciously became louder. Miao Yiyun clearly saw the Third Prince, who was walking with his head down, being startled by her shout.

She suddenly felt extremely remorseful.

She was afraid to see the Third Prince when he wasn't smiling. Even though his face was still handsome, she always felt a little uneasy looking into his unfathomable eyes.

The third prince stopped in his tracks, as if dazzled by the hexagonal palace lanterns under the eaves, and looked at her with a strange expression.

Miao Yiyun became increasingly flustered as she looked at her husband, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, who was still as handsome as ever.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."

The Third Prince had a faint smell of alcohol on him. It wasn't strong; rather, it was mixed with the incense he wore, making it refreshing and pleasant.

Even though he usually has a high alcohol tolerance, he rarely drinks. Why did he make an exception today? Is he in a bad mood?

Miao Yiyun bowed as she made random guesses. Although she used to pride herself on only coveting power and wealth, and had never cared about the love that caused ordinary women heartache.

But after marriage, she was often faced with the handsome face of the Third Prince, and she gradually and uncontrollably fell in love with him.

Miao Yiyun lowered her head. After washing up, she didn't wear any makeup. The light blue nightgown she had just changed into made her look even more fresh and elegant, like a lotus leaf standing in the wind on a green lake.

The third prince was somewhat unsteady on his feet. He held onto the window frame with one hand, a look of dazed disorientation flashing across his face.

After a long while, he placed his well-defined knuckles on Miao Yiyun's chin, forcing her to look up at him.

"Your Highness..."

Even on their wedding night, the Third Prince had never treated her like this. Miao Yiyun couldn't help but blush.

The maids who had been beside her had already obediently and quietly retreated. The surroundings were quiet and deserted, and Miao Yiyun could almost hear the pounding of her own heart.

She also heard the Third Prince whisper:

"...You've never worn this color before."

The Third Prince scrutinized her face closely. Although it was so close, for some reason, Miao Yiyun felt that her face was extremely far away from her...

She dared not say anything more. The slightly drunk Third Prince felt like a stranger to her, but she didn't need to say anything more.

The person in front of her picked her up and strode towards the bed deep within the curtained hall.

Although the Third Prince was outstanding in both literary talent and strategy, he had also practiced martial arts since childhood, making it impossible for her to break free.

Miao Yiyun gently closed her eyes, willingly succumbing to that dreamlike happiness... After a long time, when the bed curtains finally stopped swaying, she gently stroked the Third Prince's back, which was covered with a little sweat.

Miao Yiyun opened her eyes and looked at the roof beams above her head. Even though the palace servants cleaned them meticulously every day, some dust had inevitably accumulated there. Her lips curved upwards, and she suddenly felt like laughing out loud. She could hardly hold it in.

"Princess, you were wrong after all. I didn't lose."

.

It was late at night, the time of Hai (9-11 PM). Incense sticks burned softly in the study, mingling with the heavy smell of ink.

Dou Yanxun frowned, dressed in a light blue casual suit, and calmly flipped through the dossier that his clerk had just brought to him.

Master Ma cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and said in a low voice:

"These are all the confessions of the gang of thieves who dared to assassinate Lord Dou and his wife on the way. I have thoroughly investigated them, and it is certain that they are bandits who have been entrenched in the mountains for many years."

Dou Yanxun remained silent for a moment, then looked up at the flickering candle wick. The candle had been burning for several hours, and now it was almost completely burned out.

It was late at night, and he had already taken off his neatly tied sideburns from the daytime. His thick black hair was only tied back with a black satin ribbon, and a few strands of hair fell down beside his ears, swaying gently with the wind coming in from the window.

"...Too light."

After a long silence, his voice broke through the stillness.

Upon hearing this, Master Ma and the elderly Master Fang couldn't help but exchange a glance.

But then Dou Yanxun said in a deep voice:

"These people have a history of dishonest dealings and have disrupted the peace of the area. If they are only sentenced to imprisonment according to the law, it will inevitably leave behind future troubles."

Master Ma's brow twitched, and he was momentarily at a loss for words.

Although the bandits had accepted money and intended to commit murder, Lord Dou, with his foresight, had already sent his men to set up an ambush, which allowed them to capture the bandits alive.

Fortunately, no one on the adults' or wife's side was injured. According to the law, robbers who steal money can only have their ringleaders executed; the rest are sentenced to imprisonment or exile…

Besides, the bandit leader, Wang the Scarface, was killed by one of Lord Dou's own men with a single blow that very day.

"I remember that day, was one of the guards injured?"

Dou Yanxun didn't even look up.

Master Ma hurriedly replied, "Yes, sir... but Chief Jiang's finger was treated with medicine and healed quickly."

It was not just quick; Guard Jiang had only twisted his finger due to excessive force while wielding his sword to kill the bandits, and he recovered that very night. Master Ma, drenched in cold sweat, had already understood Dou Yanxun's intention—

The magistrate's words made it clear that these bandits had to pay with their lives.