---Jiangnan: A sudden downpour and thunderclap, a new life arrives amidst blood...

The tranquility of the Jiangnan town was shattered by a deliberately noisy din of gongs and drums, and the sound of chatter. That day, accompanied by her mother and Lin Qingwan, Shen Yuewei rode in a carriage specially arranged by Shen Wenbai, its walls thickly padded, to the town's most famous "Ciantang" to have the old doctor perform his routine pulse check. The carriage slowed down near the town's busiest teahouse.

At the entrance of the teahouse, several well-dressed people with accents clearly from the capital were talking loudly, deliberately raising their voices as if afraid others wouldn't hear them.

"Have you heard? It's confirmed news from the palace! The Emperor has decreed that he will bestow a marriage upon the Crown Prince!"

"Oh? Which noble lady is so fortunate?"

"Who else could it be? Of course, it's the Imperial Concubine's own niece, the eldest granddaughter of Grand Secretary Zhao, Miss Zhao Wanru! I've heard she's incredibly beautiful, and her talent and character are top-notch! She's the true candidate for Crown Princess!"

"That...that person from Jiangnan..."

"Hush—! What is that? It's just a romantic entanglement left behind by a moment of confusion! What kind of status does His Highness the Crown Prince have? How could he really allow a child born to a woman of unknown identity and without even a proper title to confuse the royal bloodline? In my opinion, the Emperor's bestowal of this marriage is to set the tone for this matter! That child from Jiangnan, at best, is just an illegitimate son, and in the future he will have to live at the mercy of the Crown Princess!"

"That's right! I heard that the Noble Consort is kind and benevolent. She even made a special request to the Emperor, saying that after the Crown Princess enters the Eastern Palace, if the child is well-behaved, perhaps he can be brought back to the capital to be raised..."

"..."

Inside the carriage, the color drained from Shen Yuewei's face instantly! Those deliberate and vicious words, like poisoned ice picks, pierced her ears and her heart! A forced marriage… Zhao Wanru… confusing bloodlines… an illegitimate son… watching the Crown Princess's expression… every word was like a heavy hammer, shattering the faint hope for the future she had built up amidst the warmth of the past few days!

"Wei'er!" Mother Shen and Lin Qingwan exclaimed at the same time, supporting the swaying Shen Yuewei.

Shen Yuewei felt a surge of immense panic and icy despair grip her, a tearing pain unlike anything she had ever experienced before shooting through her lower abdomen! She gripped her mother's hand tightly, her nails almost digging into her flesh, beads of cold sweat instantly beading on her forehead, her voice broken and pained: "Mother...it hurts...it hurts so much...my child..."

"Oh no! She's going into labor!" The experienced Mrs. Zhang, who was in another car with them, immediately leaned in upon hearing the sound. Seeing Shen Yuewei's deathly pale face and her skirt instantly soaked, her expression changed drastically!

"Quickly! Back to the manor! Back to the manor immediately!" Shen Wenbai, who was guarding the carriage, heard the commotion inside and his sister's painful groans, and then heard the noisy discussion still going on in the teahouse. His eyes flashed with a terrifying killing intent! He drew his sword from his waist, pointing the blade directly at the people who were still talking loudly, and shouted fiercely, "Shut up! If you dare to speak ill of the royal family again and spread rumors, you will be killed without mercy!"

A chilling killing intent erupted suddenly, accompanied by the Crown Prince's token (left by Xiao Chengjing before his departure for unforeseen circumstances)! The men from the capital were terrified, scurrying back to the teahouse in a panic, never daring to show their faces again. The street fell into a deathly silence!

"Full speed back to the manor! Anyone who blocks the way will die!" Shen Wenbai roared, his eyes bloodshot! The guards immediately cleared the way, and the carriage, like an arrow released from a bow, sped towards the small courtyard under Shen Wenbai's personal lead!