Chapter One: The Toasting Party

In the main hall of the Song residence, the homecoming banquet was in full swing.

Song Sangyu, dressed in a pale yellow flowing robe, her cheeks flushed with the delicate blush of crabapple blossoms, held a cup of wine in both hands:

"Sister, welcome home. Seven years on the frontier, you've worked so hard. Let me toast you first, wishing you a long and prosperous future."

The moment the glasses clinked, memories flooded back like a tidal wave:

What lay before them was no longer a brightly lit banquet hall, but a cold and damp woodshed.

The eldest brother cut off his own ear with a razor; the second brother grinned and severed his own tendons with a hairpin; the third and fourth brothers smashed their own patellae...

And then there was his father's cruel face, as he plunged the blade deep into his own heart.

In her previous life, right here, her adopted sister drugged her wine with aphrodisiacs and falsely accused her of having an affair with the stable boy, ruining her reputation.

Despite fulfilling her grandmother's dying wish and sincerely planning for her family, she tirelessly worked to help them after returning home, seeking fame and fortune for her brothers.

Before he died, all he received in return was a dismissive "vulgar" and "pursuing fame and fortune," which was nothing compared to Sang Yu's words.

He even ended up being stabbed through the heart.

The lingering pain from the blade piercing her chest in her previous life made her gasp for breath, the wine in her glass sloshing as her fingers trembled.

What a touching display of familial love! What profound affection and deep loyalty!

In this lifetime, don't even think about me believing in anything anymore!

Song Sangyu's smile froze slightly, her hand holding the wine glass hovering in mid-air, making her look pitiful.

"Sister? What's wrong? You won't drink this glass of wine? Does that mean you don't acknowledge Sang Yu as your sister?"

Seeing that Song Yiqiu remained unmoved, the surrounding guests began to whisper among themselves:

"This Miss Song... has too much of an air about her."

"Yes, even adopted daughters are so subservient..."

"I heard that the fighting on the border has made them all wild and unruly..."

"After all, she's the legitimate daughter; she probably looks down on adopted daughters..."

...

Mother Song Shen listened to the gossip, her face cold and her eyes filled with disgust:

"Yiqiu, don't put your father and me in a difficult position. Sangyu has put in a lot of effort; don't let her down. Drink up, don't spoil everyone's fun! You haven't been home for seven years, and the first thing you do when you come back is cause trouble!"

Song Sangyu feigned grievance, but in reality, she added fuel to the fire:

“Mother, Sang Yu knows she is an adopted daughter, and her sister is worlds apart from me. Presumably, it is because of Sang Yu’s status that she is not worthy to offer her sister a toast, and it is only natural that her sister does not drink.”

Upon hearing this, Song Qingming, the father, frowned even more deeply.

“Yiqiu, don’t be rude. Your sister is offering you a toast, so please accept it. Don’t disappoint your grandmother in heaven.”

He deliberately mentioned Song Yiqiu's most beloved grandmother to put pressure on her.

Suppressing her hatred, Song Yiqiu's face instantly softened into a warm smile as she steadily took the wine glass.

"Sister, please don't take it to heart. I was traveling home a few days ago and my head suddenly started to hurt badly. I was absent-minded for a moment, but it was not intentional neglect."

"Since you're offering a toast, it's a gesture of goodwill from your younger sister. How could I refuse? But please, younger sister, go first."

Song Yiqiu steadily handed the wine glass to Song Sangyu, staring intently at her.

A flicker of surprise crossed Song Sangyu's eyes, but it was quickly masked by an even sweeter smile:

"Sister, you're too kind. It was my oversight. You must be tired after just getting back. Alright, I'll drink first as a sign of respect, and you can drink as you please!"

After saying that, he tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass in one gulp without hesitation, his movements elegant, the bottom of the glass showing to Song Yiqiu.

really!

The alcohol was fine! She drank it so readily.

So what's the problem? In my past life, it was because I drank this cup of wine that...

Song Sangyu put down her empty cup, picked up the wine pot again, leaned forward slightly, and intimately offered to pour wine for Song Yiqiu:

"Sister, drink up! This wine is a treasured vintage from Father's collection."

The wide sleeves slipped down, revealing slender, jade-like fingers adorned with cardamom.

Song Yiqiu narrowed her eyes, and Song Sangyu's long fingernails seemingly unintentionally brushed against the inside of the rim of the wine glass in Song Yiqiu's hand.

She could clearly see the extremely fine powdery substance between her fingers, which fell into the wine with a slight twitch of her fingers.

So that's how it is; it's hidden under the fingernail.

What an ingenious method! No wonder they couldn't detect anything wrong with the wine in my previous life.

Song Yiqiu calmly scanned the entire room, looking for any opportunity she could seize.

Suddenly, my gaze was fixed on a figure in the corner.

The man, dressed in a dark bamboo-patterned casual suit, stood tall and straight like a pine tree, sitting alone in the shadows of a corner.

His sword-like eyebrows slanted upwards towards his temples, and his starry eyes were as deep as an abyss.

His thin lips were tightly pressed together, and he exuded a chilling aura, completely out of place at this lively banquet.

Crown Prince Xiao Yongjing!

How did he end up here? How could the Song family's homecoming banquet have disturbed this ruthless figure?

Rumor has it that he is eccentric, capricious, ruthless, and extremely cunning, so much so that even important officials in the court avoid him.

Seeing that Song Yiqiu had stopped moving again, a hint of urgency flashed in Song Sangyu's eyes, and her voice became even softer:

"Sister? The wine is ready, it's all warmed, please drink it while it's hot! But this wine... doesn't suit your taste?"

As she spoke, she handed the wine glass to Song Yiqiu again.

Song Yiqiu suddenly smiled. She steadily held the drugged wine, but instead of drinking it, she stood up.

"My sister's wine is certainly good. But..."

Her gaze shifted to the corner, and her tone became respectful, "This humble woman, Song Yiqiu, greets Your Highness the Crown Prince. I was unaware of Your Highness's arrival and have failed to greet you properly; please forgive me!"

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell into a deathly silence.

How dare she provoke the legendary ruthless demon?

Xiao Yongjing slowly raised his eyes, but did not get up. He simply played with the empty wine glass in his hand, his fingertips slowly tracing the rim of the glass.

"Oh? General Song...recognizes me?"

Ignoring the astonished looks of her family, Song Yiqiu held the specially made wine and walked steadily toward the Crown Prince.

"Your Highness possesses the bearing of a dragon and the grace of a phoenix, a countenance as bright as the sun and the moon. Although I am far away on the frontier, I was fortunate enough to witness Your Highness's majestic presence from afar during the triumphant return to present the captives, and I will never forget it."

"Your Highness's presence today is an honor to my humble abode, and I am deeply humbled. This cup of wine..."

She stopped three steps away from the Crown Prince's table, bowed slightly, and presented the wine cup with both hands.

"Your Highness, I humbly offer this humble gift. First, I thank Your Highness for your imperial inspection tour, protecting the peace of the borders. Second, I thank Your Highness for condescending to visit my humble abode, adding honor to my homecoming. I offer this as a token of my respect!"

After saying that, Song Yiqiu reached out without hesitation to grab another cup of wine on the table next to her, which was obviously prepared for the Crown Prince. Her movements were so fast that Song Sangyu had no time to stop her.

"Sister! No!"

Hearing the scream, Song Yiqiu smiled, she had been waiting for this moment.

Poisoning the Crown Prince is a serious crime, and Song Sangyu will definitely take action.

Her wrist jerked violently, as if she had been terrified by the scream.

The wine was poured precisely onto Crown Prince Xiao Yongjing's outer robe.

The dark wine stains spread rapidly and were extremely glaring.

The entire room fell silent instantly; everyone was stunned by this sudden turn of events.

Xiao Yongjing slowly lowered his head, looking at the rapidly spreading stain on his clothes, then slowly raised his eyes:

"Song Yiqiu. I was unaware that in this dynasty... there is still a reason to offer wine to a living person and then spill it on the ground? Hmm?"