At Si Tianjian.
Dai Yue, dispatched by Huang Rang, went to find Di Yiqiu. The guards knew the Jianzheng wasn’t present, but they had also heard of Dai Yue’s name. Knowing their Jianzheng still had a marriage agreement with her, they dared not slight her and invited her to wait in the flower hall of Xuanwu Si.
Dai Yue was already feeling apprehensive, and at this moment, she heard two young attendants speaking in low voices outside.
The attendants kept their voices down, but Dai Yue, having half fox spirit bloodline, sharpened her ears to listen. She heard Attendant A say, “I heard that the one in the flower hall is our Jianzheng’s future wife.”
Attendant B objected, saying, “She hasn’t crossed the threshold yet, so it doesn’t count at all.”
“How does it not count? The Jianzheng is about to send the betrothal gifts.” Attendant A argued stubbornly.
Dai Yue listened to them debate, and her heart was filled with smiles. At least everyone knew she was Di Yiqiu’s fiancée. She greatly enjoyed this identity. But just then, Attendant B said, “Don’t you know that last night Miss Huang Rang slept in the Jianzheng’s bedroom?”
This short sentence was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, shattering Dai Yue on the spot.
Last night, Huang Rang slept in Di Yiqiu’s bedroom? Then the two of them…
Dai Yue wasn’t foolish. She naturally knew why Di Yiqiu had proposed to her. Could it be because he coveted her beauty? How was that possible?!
It was simply that Si Tianjian belonged to the court, and what the court cared most about was nothing other than the people’s livelihood and the stability of the realm. Therefore, Si Tianjian searched for breeders every year, solely to ensure grain production and stabilize the kingdom.
Di Yiqiu’s choice to propose to her was merely because he valued her breeding abilities.
Dai Yue didn’t care if Di Yiqiu had other women. How could she dare hope that she would be his only woman? As long as she could marry him, she could escape her servant status. That was better than being a servant in the Huang household for life.
So if Di Yiqiu had other women around him, she could actually accept it. But of all people, this woman was Huang Rang!
Dai Yue clenched her fists, her nails piercing into her palms, blood seeping out, yet it didn’t hurt.
Because her heart was bleeding.
If this person was Miss Ten, what chance did she have?
All these years, didn’t she know where her reputation came from?
Huang Rang had beautiful features, an ethereal temperament, and most importantly, she wasn’t stupid. Even the breeding ability that Di Yiqiu coveted was precisely hers. And herself? She was merely her maid!
What could she use to compete with her?
Dai Yue felt as if she had lost all sensation, and even her heart began to ache with pain.
Her constant thoughts and hopes—just as good fortune was about to be achieved, Huang Rang still had to take it away. When she was pleased, she granted Dai Yue an empty name. When displeased, she could effortlessly take what Dai Yue loved without lifting a finger.
Must I accept my fate like this?
She lowered her head and remained silent for a long time.
If a person wanted to live with some dignity, they always had to think of some methods.
Ah, these words were actually spoken by Huang Rang when she was young.
Dai Yue looked at this flower hall and even the vast world outside. She made up her mind and pulled out the plain hairpin from her hair. The plain hairpin had a sharp end. She gripped it tightly in her hand, and after a long moment, lifted her sleeve.
She pressed her lips tightly together and forcefully dragged it across her arm.
At this time, at Embrace Qin Pavilion.
The Jianzheng entered a room on the second floor. The twelve beauties were usually skilled at extracting every drop from their clients, but now they were rather constrained. This wasn’t shyness—they were truly afraid the handsome young lord before them couldn’t withstand it.
These sons of nobility were mostly weak in constitution, and the one before them still looked childishly young. If he died in the room, that would be no laughing matter.
So everyone held back somewhat.
The Jianzheng came to the table and sat down. The twelve young ladies stood in a row, staring directly at him. This scene looked no matter how you viewed it like a pack of wolves surrounding a young lamb not yet weaned.
Yet the little lamb remained unaware and even asked, “Why stand so far away? Come here!”
Everyone saw—good heavens, this fellow really wasn’t afraid of death, he was a brave warrior! The twelve young ladies thus rushed forward together, about to unleash the special skills they had cultivated for many years. However, the Jianzheng’s eyes swept over and caught sight of Miss Bie Yun, who was in the lead.
Miss Bie Yun had pulled open her collar somewhat, revealing the tattoo on her shoulder. The tattoo was partially visible, but what kind of eyes did the Jianzheng possess? He saw it at a glance, immediately furrowed his brow, and asked, “What is this?”
“This?” Miss Bie Yun lifted her orchid finger and pulled back her gauze shawl a bit more, revealing skin like congealed fat. Against the snowy skin, that peony appeared even more seductively beautiful. Her voice was so soft it could wring out water. “Can you see clearly now, my lord?”
The Jianzheng didn’t just see clearly—his eyebrows practically knitted together! What kind of tattoo was this?!
“Crude technique, vulgar taste!” The more the Jianzheng looked, the more it offended his eyes, like sand rubbed into his eyes, causing discomfort. The Jianzheng immediately took out silver needles, grabbed hold of Bie Yun, half-pulled down her gauze shawl, and began applying needles to modify the tattoo on her body.
Bie Yun cried out in alarm, shouting repeatedly, “My lord… my lord, you mustn’t!”
The other women, seeing this, were all extremely frightened. Their livelihoods depended heavily on their appearance. If this skin was ruined, they would be finished. They wanted to run, but knowing this young man held high position and great authority, they feared his blame.
Thus the other eleven women huddled together, only hearing Bie Yun’s despairing face and repeated tearful pleas for mercy.
In the hall, Li Lu was still uneasy—these little vixens better not devour the Jianzheng. After hesitating several times, he still decided to go upstairs to check. However, just as he reached the second floor, from the room separated by only a door, he heard women’s repeated pleas for mercy…
Li Lu touched his nose and could only go back downstairs.
At this time, Bie Yun’s cries grew even louder. She had begun crying “Mama, save me!” The pavilion master was utterly shocked—how could she possibly go rescue her? Everyone in the hall sat on pins and needles.
On the second floor, in the room.
The Jianzheng finally finished modifying that peony picture and released Bie Yun. Miss Bie Yun couldn’t see the full picture herself and could only sob while helplessly looking toward the other eleven sisters.
The other young ladies embraced her and examined her fragrant shoulder. They saw that the previously sideways-blooming peony, after his embellishment, had become even more seductively vibrant and lively. Moreover, just below the peony, petals scattered down piece by piece, as if disappearing into her bodice.
Earlier when Bie Yun had struggled fiercely, these petals appeared bright purple. But as she gradually quieted, the petal colors grew lighter and lighter, then disappeared one by one without a trace.
This thing alone was enough to make her famous for life!