This was supposed to be the process, the predestined conclusion. Why did these people not even ask her, yet they scolded her for bad luck?
Why?
She was unwilling! After much difficulty, she had this opportunity, yet the result deviated completely from her expectations. She would not be resigned to this!
But now, with too many people around and several master guards by the wretched woman’s side, she couldn’t act recklessly. However, she would soon trample that wretched woman underfoot, daring to steal her Crown Prince, simply deserving death!
The corner of Hai Tang’s eyes caught the proud smile on Su Manru’s lips. Yang Mengchen’s eyes harbored cold mockery and icy, snow-like murderous intent as she took Lady Luo’s and Lady Xiao’s arms, leading them towards the inner courtyard banquet.
Just as they reached the banquet, the Empress Dowager and the Empress had just arrived together, both frequently visiting the Crown Prince Mansion to chat and play with the women these past few months. Naturally, they would not miss such a joyous banquet. Seeing this, the Emperor simply followed, although he mingled with the male guests in the front courtyard.
The other women looked on with envy. The Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress all attending the Yang family’s infant’s one-month celebration showed the undiminished imperial favor bestowed upon the Yang family.
The Empress Dowager and the Empress presented their congratulatory gifts, then went to see the little treasure before the Empress Dowager took Yang Mengchen to their seats.
A quarter-hour later (about half an hour), someone suddenly started screaming. More and more people followed suit, clutching their stomachs in agony. Some demanded to know what exactly was happening, while others called out urgently for a doctor. The joyful banquet quickly became chaotic and noisy.
A man dressed in a guard’s uniform from the Princess Mansion approached Su Manru and whispered a few words into her ear. Su Manru stood up and smashed her wine cup onto the floor with great force.
Immediately, over a hundred masked men in black dropped down from the sky, each wielding a sword or knife.
The sudden turn of events left everyone stunned.
Hai Tang and the others promptly shielded Yang Mengchen and the rest, while the servants also circled the ladies, eyeing Su Manru and the black-clothed figures vigilantly.
With a crazed and triumphant smile on her face, Su Manru looked around at the shocked crowd with contempt and arrogance in her eyes.
"Ruru, what are you trying to do?" Lady Su exclaimed in shock at her daughter.
The rest of the crowd also looked at Su Manru with fearful eyes.
"Take a good look. I am not your stupid daughter," Su Manru said as she removed the disguise from her face, revealing a stunningly beautiful visage. "As for that fool, I’ve long since sent her to meet the King of Hell. Rest assured, you’ll soon be joining her!"
"Give me back my daughter... give me back my daughter..."
Seeing a face entirely different from her daughter’s, Lady Su was briefly stunned before snapping back to reality. Upon hearing that her daughter had been murdered, she was immediately overcome with grief and screamed to lunge at her daughter’s killer. Unfortunately, with excruciating stomach pain, she couldn’t even stand, let alone seek vengeance for her daughter.
Someone pointed at the imposter Su Manru and shouted loudly, "She is Liao... Liao Zhiyan..."
Upon closer inspection, wasn’t she the one who claimed to be engaged to the Crown Prince, who had stopped the Crown Princess Consort in the street to demand an explanation, and had later perished in a great fire? Everyone’s faces changed drastically. Was she a human or a ghost?
Ignoring the fearful and panicked looks from the crowd, Liao Zhiyan slowly approached Yang Mengchen, wearing an expression of triumphant smugness and eyes flashing with a bloodthirsty gleam.
"Stop!" the Empress Dowager commanded with awe-inspiring authority, "If you dare take one more step, you shall be put to death without mercy!"
The Empress and several other women, despite enduring stomach pains, were closely guarding Yang Mengchen. It was obvious that Liao Zhiyan was targeting Yang Mengchen.
Whether out of respect for the Empress Dowager’s majesty or for some other reason, Liao Zhiyan halted. She tossed a dagger onto the table in front of Yang Mengchen, shattering many bowls and dishes and making a clattering noise. Fortunately, Hai Tang and the others were quick to react, preventing the oil from splashing onto Yang Mengchen and the others.
"They have been poisoned with my unique secret poison. No one but me can cure it. If you commit suicide now, I will provide the antidote for them, including those men outside. Otherwise, today in a year’s time will be your death anniversary as well as for everyone else! People say you are kind-hearted and compassionate, surely you won’t ignore the life and death of so many, right? Especially when they include your family and relatives."
The crowd became restless, some faint-hearted women having already fainted from fright, while others looked pleadingly at Yang Mengchen. Most, however, glared fearlessly and furiously at Liao Zhiyan.
Yang Mengchen raised her brows and said lightly, "The Princess Mansion might not be impregnable, but it is still heavily guarded. I wonder how you managed to poison everyone, and where precisely?"
"Quite simple," Liao Zhiyan said with pride. "I killed the servant responsible for buying vegetables, then disguised myself in his appearance, and stealthily poisoned the water in the drinking vat."
"I see," Yang Mengchen nodded. "I wish to know whether the marriage agreement between you and the Crown Prince is true or false?"
Looking directly at Yang Mengchen, Liao Zhiyan pursed her lips in silence.
Yang Mengchen wore a faintly mocking smile, "With things having come to this point, I do deserve to die with some understanding, don’t I? Or is there something you’re afraid of?"
"You’re at the end of your tether. What should I be afraid of?" Liao Zhiyan immediately retorted, seeing Yang Mengchen’s seemingly amused expression, which only infuriated her even more: "The marriage agreement is of course false, but..."
"Tell me what really happened back then," Yang Mengchen interrupted Liao Zhiyan at the right moment.
Looking into Yang Mengchen’s eyes, deep as ink, for some reason Liao Zhiyan felt an inexplicable shiver in her heart, and soon she recounted the events of the past truthfully.
It turned out that she had been colluding with Xiliang long ago. She first moved to a secluded cottage, then the Xiliang Army schemed to ambush Long Xuanmo, leading to him sustaining serious injuries and being poisoned. They contrived to have a horse lead Long Xuanmo to the cottage where naturally, she became his lifesaver. With the only jade pendant from Long Xuanmo’s body as a token, he indeed promised to repay her for saving his life, but he had never said he would marry her.
"You’re just a Magistrate’s daughter; why would Xiliang cooperate with you?"
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