Consort Rong frowned in displeasure, about to speak and have her expelled from the palace, when from behind, Ye Ziyun’s voice rang out again.
“Yes, Mother Consort, Sister Rulian and I haven’t seen each other in a long time. Let us have a few more words.”
Knowing she was unwilling to hand over the royal seal to the Empress, Consort Rong frowned, wanting to explain the current situation to her, but Qin Rulian stepped forward, avoiding her gaze.
The eunuchs filling the room cast menacing glances, as if ready to resort to force if she dared to obstruct further. Intimidated, Consort Rong could only compromise and stand by.
Qin Rulian sat by the couch as if it were natural, her expression gentle, as if she truly wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with her.
Ye Ziyun painstakingly adjusted her posture, glancing at the situation in the hall, and spoke to her in a lowered voice.
“Sister Rulian, why are you with them? Is the Empress coercing you?”
Although she was the Empress’s niece, she had always been close to Ye Ziyun, and had always wanted to marry Ye Tinglan, and had secretly been on their side. But now…
Qin Rulian seemed lost in thought, looking at her with cold eyes, and did not speak.
Ye Ziyun, thinking she couldn’t speak freely in front of so many people, considered for a moment and said, “Shall we go outside and talk alone?”
This would also be a way to shake off these bothersome ears and eyes.
Qin Rulian now agreed, turning her gaze to Consort Rong beside her, a flash of dark light quickly appearing in her eyes.
“The early cherries in the Imperial Garden are in full bloom. Princess and I will take a walk outside. What does your Ladyship think?”
This sounded less like a question and more like a casual notification.
Consort Rong immediately tensed upon hearing this and was about to refuse, but was firmly blocked by the eunuchs.
Ye Ziyun was helped up from the couch by Qin Rulian. Seeing her calling her name with concern from the side, she spoke to comfort her.
“Mother Consort, don’t worry. I’ll be back soon.”
With that, she allowed Qin Rulian to help her outside.
The two of them left Chunxi Palace, and indeed, they did not bring any accompanying palace maids. Seeing that the time was right, Ye Ziyun turned to Qin Rulian, who was supporting her, and urged her impatiently.
“Sister Rulian, there’s no one else around now. Can you tell me the truth?”
To her surprise, Qin Rulian stopped walking upon hearing this, looked at her, and said coldly, “Tell you what?”
“About the Emp… Eh—”
Before she could finish speaking, she was shoved hard. The force supporting her forearm suddenly withdrew, and Ye Ziyun looked at Qin Rulian in disbelief.
“Ah—”
Her back hit something hard, and Ye Ziyun, in unbearable pain, instantly turned deathly pale.
Qin Rulian looked down at her, her eyes as dark and venomous as if stained with malevolence.
“Sister Rulian, you…”
“Don’t call me Sister Rulian!”
“Ye Ziyun, Ye Tinglan owes me, and you will repay it!”
Her tone was venomous, her expression even more ferocious and terrifying. Ye Ziyun, writhing in pain on the ground, felt a chilling dread creep through her.
“Ru… Sister Rulian, what are you talking about? Isn’t my brother already dead…”
“Even if he doesn’t like you, my mother consort and I have always treated you like family. Why… why are you doing this…”
“Family?!”
Before she could finish speaking, Qin Rulian’s sharp voice cut her off. Her hoarse voice grated on Ye Ziyun’s eardrums, making her tremble and say weakly,
“No… isn’t it?”
Qin Rulian stared at her fiercely, as if she had heard the greatest joke in the world, and laughed mockingly.
“Your good mother consort gave me the Princess’s Royal Seal. The contents of that seal, once touched by a woman, would render her permanently infertile. You say she treated me like family? Ye Ziyun, don’t you find it ironic!”
At the time when Feng Yinwan discovered she was pregnant, the affairs of the Prince’s manor were managed by Qin Rulian, and this royal seal was indeed returned to Qin Rulian under Consort Rong’s instruction.
Ye Ziyun, unaware of this underlying reason, felt her heart tremble upon hearing this.
Qin Rulian, however, had no intention of letting her go. She bent down, leaning closer, and said venomously, “Do you know how Ye Tinglan has humiliated me for the past three years! Even though that woman is dead, he wouldn’t even glance at me even if I stood naked before him. On the anniversary of her death, he makes me kneel at her tomb and beg for forgiveness! Why!”
She had always believed that as long as she could endure and persevere, the position of Princess Mo would eventually be hers.
But ultimately, she was wrong!
Without Feng Yinwan, there was Yun Shu. Without Yun Shu, there was that concubine Wan who appeared from nowhere!
No matter how many women came and went from the Prince’s manor, that position would never be hers, Qin Rulian!
“Feng Yinwan is one thing, but what is Concubine Wan!”
“He allowed that woman to humiliate me, ruined my face, poisoned my voice, and made me like a cheap prostitute, to be ravaged and insulted by those damnable scoundrels! Do you think I shouldn’t hate him!”
She shrieked hysterically, her eyes red, as if driven mad. She reached out and fiercely gripped Ye Ziyun’s neck.
In her frenzy, the strength was comparable to that of a normal, burly man.
Ye Ziyun was strangled, unable to breathe, kicking her legs desperately, her eyeballs rolling upwards.
Just as she was about to lose consciousness, a figure suddenly descended beside her, grabbing Qin Rulian’s collar and flinging her forcefully away.
The suffocating sensation had not yet dissipated from her chest. She was shoved twice forcefully against her back with an elbow, and only then did she gasp for breath again.
Before she could open her eyes, Qin Rulian’s extremely hoarse voice rang out forcefully in her ears.
“It’s you?!”
With almost a single glance, she recognized Feng Yinwan’s face. Her eyes, besides venom, were now filled with a strange madness.
This woman, she had finally found her!
Feng Yinwan had not intended to show herself. She had only intervened when she saw Qin Rulian about to strangle the other woman to death.
She glanced at Ye Ziyun, who was lying on the ground, gasping for breath with her eyes closed. Her beautiful eyes swept over Qin Rulian, who had also been thrown to the ground. She stepped forward, grabbed her collar, and lifted her up.
“You were looking for me?”
Her tone was light, and it was impossible to discern any emotion.
Qin Rulian, dangling from her grasp, unable to move much, stared intently at her face, the intense malice almost overflowing.
“Of course! I would recognize this face even if it turned to ashes!”
“Is that so?”
Feng Yinwan let out a low scoff, and as she looked again, a thin layer of frost covered her eyes.
“Then look clearly, who I really am.”
Qin Rulian froze. The madness on her face faltered. After a moment of silence, as if realizing something, her pupils suddenly contracted.
“You… you are!”
Feng Yinwan’s lips curved into a cold smile. Before Qin Rulian could finish speaking, she had already struck her with a palm, knocking her unconscious.
Behind her, Ye Ziyun had long since fainted from fright and exhaustion. Feng Yinwan glanced at her, hoisted Qin Rulian onto her shoulder, and turned to retreat.