Chapter 2: The Harmless Princess of Beiyang vs. the Ruthless Prince of Beiyang

Wen Yurou stared at Xiao Zexuan, cold and aloof, standing before her. His bearing was far too imposing, far too dangerous, and the agitation within her body only grew harder to bear.

"Your Highness, please save me." She struggled to rise from the floor and, trembling, drew near him, winding her arms about his waist. "Please, help me... I feel awful..."

Soft, breathless sounds spilled from her lips. Her eyes were misty with tears, her voice thick with pleading as she looked up at Xiao Zexuan, begging him with all her heart to help her.

Xiao Zexuan stiffened. A scorching heat rose in his lower abdomen, and his body went rigid in an instant, but reason told him he could not fall for it.

His deep eyes locked onto her, and he suddenly raised a hand to clamp it around her throat. "This prince warns you... stay away from me."

Wen Yurou struggled, forcing the words out with difficulty. "Save me... cough... save..."

Her face had turned red from the strain, great beads of sweat sliding down one after another. A blaze seemed to roar inside her, nearly consuming her soul. She had already lost control, and the man before her was the only lifeline she could grasp.

Wen Yurou endured the searing pain in her throat, and just as she was about to reach his lips, a chill flashed in the depths of the man's eyes. He drew his arm around her slender waist, and the two of them fell together into the lotus pond, crashing heavily into the water and sending up a tremendous spray.

Caught off guard, Wen Yurou plunged into the water, thrashing wildly with her limbs, screaming in panic. "Ah—!"

He really did love excitement... but she was terrified of water!

Small and delicate, Wen Yurou was almost swallowed by the pond. She fought desperately, helpless and in agony, her eyes vacant. In her mind, the gentle smile of the orphanage director surfaced, then froze at last on the vicious, twisted face of the fake daughter...

Plop.

"Your Highness... I'm here to save you..."

Just as Ling Yu returned with the antidote, he saw his own prince leap into the pool while holding a woman.

Too shocked to hesitate, he hurriedly jumped into the lotus pond and swam toward them.

By then, many people had gathered at the bank, all wearing expressions of eager amusement, quietly waiting for the drama to end.

This was the imperial garden, after all. Not to mention that the emperor was hosting a banquet today to entertain the civil and military officials.

Word had it that this woman had been bold enough to openly seduce the prince at the banquet and had ended up falling into the water.

Wen Ruwei stood among the crowd, her gaze fixed viciously on the two figures in the center of the pond. Weren't they supposed to have arranged for a guard? How had it turned into the Prince of the North? Still, it made no difference. It had gone exactly as she wished.

In any case, she had already had Xiao Qing spread the word that Wen Yurou had tried to seduce the prince. That would be enough to ruin Wen Yurou completely. And the Prince of the North was infamous for his cruelty and ruthlessness; by then, there would be no need for Wen Ruwei to lift a finger. He would kill Wen Yurou himself.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Wen Yurou was swallowed by another choking mouthful of water. Like a drowning cat, she thrashed madly in the lake, trying to grab onto something, anything, but finding nothing at all.

The icy water soaked through her clothes and chilled her to the bone. She held out for a moment before finally passing out, leaving only Xiao Zexuan in the water, struggling furiously to swim.

"Quick, quick—save the prince!"

Only then did the guards on shore hear what Ling Yu had been saying. They immediately jumped into the water to rescue them.

Wen Yurou and Xiao Zexuan were soon hauled up. Wen Yurou had fainted in Xiao Zexuan's arms, barely clinging to life.

Xiao Zexuan looked down at the girl in his embrace, his brow deeply furrowed, then lifted his gaze toward the distance.

...

The matter of the Prince of the North falling into the water together with the young lady of the Wen family, as well as the rumors surrounding it, soon reached the emperor's ears. Everyone thought the emperor would fly into a thunderous rage, but instead an imperial decree of marriage arrived.

This nearly enraged Wen Ruwei to death.

Inside the room.

"Auntie, is my sister all right? It's all my fault for not stopping her from drinking, which let her commit such a grave mistake!"

As she spoke, Wen Ruwei's eyes brimmed with tears, making her look pitiful and fragile.

"I should have stopped Sister, sob..."

Madam Wen gently patted her on the back and comforted her in a soft voice. "Silly child, don't cry. What does this have to do with you? She has lacked discipline since childhood, showing no respect for her elders and behaving outrageously. Yurou was ruined by her... This marriage decree from His Majesty is perfect. At last, someone can temper her temper."

While the two were speaking, Wen Yurou, lying on the bed, slowly woke. She opened her groggy eyes, and the unfamiliar yet somehow familiar room came into view, leaving her momentarily bewildered. Where was this?

But hearing Wen Ruwei's muffled sobbing, she could more or less guess where she was, and who Wen Ruwei was speaking to.

Rubbing her forehead, Wen Yurou sat up and said hoarsely, "Mother..."

Before she could finish, a slap landed hard across her right cheek, the crack of it ringing through the entire room.

Pain instantly surged through her body. Blood seeped from the corner of her mouth. Wen Yurou froze for a moment, then clutched her swollen face and stared blankly at the woman before her, her gaze innocent and pitiable.

"Utterly disgraceful!" Madam Wen trembled with rage. "How dare you do something that shames our Wen residence like this? Believe me, I could beat you to death!"

"Mother..."

Wen Ruwei stepped in just in time and held Madam Wen back. "Sister was merely muddle-headed for a moment, her heart stirred by spring. If Sister knows she was wrong, please forgive her, Auntie."

"Ha, if only your sister were as sensible as half of you!" Madam Wen gave a cold snort. "Your marriage to the Prince of the North is the day after tomorrow. For these two days, you will stay properly in your room and not go anywhere. If you make another scene, the entire Wen family will not have enough heads to be chopped off!"

"..."

Wen Yurou pressed her lips together and lowered her eyes, saying nothing.

People really did believe every rumor they heard. Her own flesh and blood had nearly drowned to death, and yet there was not a shred of concern—only a slap as soon as they arrived. What a wonderful mother indeed.

Madam Wen had long since grown used to Wen Yurou's habit of saying nothing. She left behind one sentence and took Wen Ruwei away.

"Behave yourself. Reflect properly on the second floor, and don't go out disgracing yourself again!"

With a click, the door was locked from the outside.

Only then did Wen Yurou lift her eyes. A cold smile curved her lips, and her gaze turned icy and sinister, nothing like the innocent and pitiful expression from before.

She fumbled out a handkerchief and wiped away the blood at the corner of her mouth. Narrowing her eyes, she said coolly, "Since you like other people's children so much, then let us begin by ruining Wen Ruwei. I would very much like to see just how deep that mother-daughter bond truly is."

"How exciting."

The despicable tricks Wen Ruwei had used on the original owner would now be repaid in kind.

Wen Yurou walked slowly to the dressing table and sat down. She removed the gold hairpin from her hair and set it on the table. Following the original owner's fragmented memories, she opened the box beside her and took out the ointment inside, then unhurriedly applied it to the swollen left side of her face.

Her eyes grew deeper and deeper, as though dark currents were flowing beneath them, carrying a murderous glint.

Today's plan had failed. Wen Ruwei certainly would not let it rest. She would have to be on guard. After the marriage, there would be the spring hunt.

027 had told her that at that time, Wen Ruwei would meet the crown prince. The original owner's fate had already changed, and she did not know what butterfly effect might follow. She would have to adapt as things came.

Still, what did Xiao Zexuan's grudge have to do with the crown prince?

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew the window open.