The Jing Kingdom suddenly sent troops to invade the northwestern border of the Qi Kingdom. The attack came with terrifying force, and Jiang Yan personally led Jiang Lei and the army of Moyun City into battle.
Everything had initially gone smoothly, but there was a traitor within the army who deliberately delayed the reinforcements, leaving the vanguard led by Jiang Yan and Jiang Lei trapped in an encirclement by the Jing forces.
After a fierce and bloody battle, Jiang Lei was struck by several blades while protecting Jiang Yan and died on the spot. Jiang Yan was also wounded by a stray arrow and poisoned. His subordinates fought desperately to rescue him and bring him back to Moyun City, but he remained unconscious.
When the news reached the City Lord’s Residence, the original owner’s already frail body could not bear the sudden shock of learning that her father had died and her grandfather was unconscious. She fainted, and when she awoke, the soul within her body had been replaced by Jiang Yanyan.
The original owner’s mother, Jiang Yun, had suffered the successive blows of losing her husband and seeing her father fall unconscious. Her already weak health deteriorated further, yet she still had to force herself to remain composed as she arranged her husband’s funeral, cared for her poisoned and gravely wounded father, and watched over her unconscious daughter. That was why, when Jiang Yanyan first awoke, the voice she heard was so hoarse and weary.
In the original plot, not long after the original owner woke up, news arrived that Jiang Yan had died after the poison took effect.
Not long after the funeral, the original owner and her six-year-old younger brother, Jiang Xiao, were poisoned and killed by spies planted in the City Lord’s Residence by the Jing Kingdom.
Well, after the original owner and her brother died, Prince Yong sent people to investigate and discovered that it had been the work of spies arranged by the Jing Kingdom. It had nothing to do with Prince Yong.
After losing her husband, father, and children one after another, Jiang Yun completely broke down. It was not long before she followed them in death as well.
The entire Jiang family was wiped out.
After Jiang Yan and Jiang Lei died, Moyun City’s military and political authority was left without a leader. Relying on his status as the original owner’s fiancé, Murong Xun smoothly took control of the army of Moyun City.
Once he had the Moyun Army under his command, Murong Xun held the Jing Kingdom at bay for two years before reaching a peace agreement with them. The Jing Kingdom then sent its Sixth Princess, Song Yanran, to Qi to marry Murong Xun as his principal consort.
At that time, the struggle for the throne in the Qi court was raging.
Emperor Changping’s empress had been his first wife. Though she came from an ordinary background, she had accompanied him on military campaigns and managed affairs at the rear. Emperor Changping respected her deeply.
The empress had given birth to only one son, who was appointed Crown Prince. The Crown Prince had grown up following his father in military camps, was exceptionally capable, and had earned the high regard of both Emperor Mingzheng and Emperor Changping.
The Second Prince, Prince Yan, was frail and frequently ill. He had no interest in politics and never took part in the struggle for the throne.
The Fourth Prince, Prince Su, was the son of the Noble Consort, whose family was powerful and influential. However, he was impulsive, knew only martial arts, and understood nothing of strategy. Though Emperor Changping favored Prince Su, he had never considered making him Crown Prince.
The Fifth Prince was still young and had not yet been granted a princely title. His birth mother was merely an ordinary palace maid, leaving him with no chance of competing for the throne.
Murong Xun had originally been an unremarkable Third Prince. But after gaining the support of the Moyun Army, as well as the Jing Kingdom as an ally, his strength grew rapidly. Consort Rong aided him within the imperial harem, while in the court, he gained the support of his mother’s family after marrying several daughters of prominent officials as secondary consorts. Before long, he became the Crown Prince’s strongest rival.
In the end, Murong Xun schemed against the Crown Prince, causing him to be deposed and meet a tragic end. Murong Xun then successfully ascended the throne.
After taking the throne, Murong Xun made Song Yanran empress. Yet their relationship was not as beautiful as one might have imagined.
Though Song Yanran was the empress, she could not tolerate Murong Xun’s other consorts.
After ascending the throne, Murong Xun had three thousand beauties in his harem and was no longer the young man who had once been devoted to her. The two of them constantly clashed over the imperial consorts and their princes.
In the end, Song Yanran saw through the emperor’s heartlessness. When Murong Xun fell gravely ill, she secretly poisoned him so that her own son could inherit the throne. She then became the Empress Dowager and took sole control of the imperial harem.
Tsk. Judging from the plot, Song Yanran was the heroine of this world, while Murong Xun was the male lead. As for the original owner, she was simply the male lead’s fiancée who died young.
The Jiang family was nothing more than a stepping stone on Murong Xun’s path to the throne. They died in silence, forgotten by everyone.
The original owner had died such a miserable death, and the Jiang family had met such a fate, all because of Murong Xun—the hypocrite who wanted everything while pretending to be righteous.
He wanted the Jiang family’s power, yet he was unwilling to treat them well. Apparently, the whole world owed him something. As expected, people who played politics had truly filthy minds.
When Jiang Yanyan had first awakened, she had felt weak and heavy all over, and even exerting the slightest bit of strength had been difficult. She reached out to take her pulse, and sure enough, it showed signs of poisoning.
The original owner knew a little about medicine as well, though she had no idea when she had been poisoned.
Jiang Yanyan took a bowl of spiritual spring water from her space.
After drinking a sip, the clear, refreshing water slid down her throat and into her stomach. A warm sensation instantly spread through her limbs and organs. In just a moment, most of the dull ache in her body had vanished, and she felt considerably more at ease.
When she heard footsteps approaching from outside, Jiang Yanyan hurriedly put the bowl back into her space.
Hearing the movement, Chuntao lifted the curtain and entered. When she saw that Jiang Yanyan was awake, she quickly came over to support her.
“Miss, you’re awake. How are you feeling? Is anything still bothering you? Does your head still hurt?”
With Chuntao’s help, Jiang Yanyan sat up. Her expression was already clear, and she appeared to be in much better condition. Chuntao relaxed and let out a sigh of relief before remembering the medicine in the small kitchen.
“Miss, Chunxing is keeping watch over the medicine in the small kitchen. It’s the prescription Doctor Wang gave us. I’ll have her bring it over right away. You should drink it while it’s hot so you can recover as soon as possible.”
“There’s no need. I feel much better now. How is Grandfather doing? And how is Mother?”
Chuntao had been guarding Jiang Yanyan’s room and did not know much about the situation in the City Lord’s quarters.
“The City Lord… Doctor Wang has been watching over him, and Madam is there as well. The City Lord will be fine. He has to be.”
“Mm. Chuntao, help me change. I’m going to see Grandfather.”
Chuntao froze for a moment, then quickly understood. She hurriedly answered, “Yes, Miss.”
Before long, Chuntao and the others efficiently changed Jiang Yanyan into a plain-colored ruqun and styled her hair simply, securing it with a single plain silver hairpin.
Once she was ready, Jiang Yanyan left with Chuntao and Chunxing.
Jiang Yan’s residence was in the main courtyard of the City Lord’s Residence, not far from the original owner’s courtyard.
As Jiang Yanyan made her way there, the servants along the path all bowed to her. Their faces held traces of caution. They had likely heard about the upheaval in the residence and were afraid of offending their mistress in any way.
The candlelight flickered inside the main room. Jiang Yan was leaning against a stack of quilts, covered by a thick fox-fur cloak. His face looked deathly pale.
Beside the bed, Auntie Liu held a bowl of medicine and leaned forward slightly as she fed it to Jiang Yan.
On the other side of the bed, Jiang Yun wore a plain white dress, her hair twisted up with a wooden hairpin. The dark circles beneath her eyes were heavy. After days of exhaustion and grief, she looked terribly haggard.
“Doctor Wang, how is my father? You must think of some way to save him. As long as my father can recover, it doesn’t matter what medicinal ingredients are needed, no matter how expensive or rare they are. As long as he can get better!”
Doctor Wang stood there with his brows tightly furrowed, sighing repeatedly. He cupped his hands toward Jiang Yun, his tone solemn.
“Madam, it is not that this old physician has failed to do his best. The City Lord’s condition is simply too dangerous.
“He has suffered several blade wounds and lost a great deal of blood. On top of that, he was poisoned by a potent and unusual toxin. I have tried every method available to me, but all I can do is barely suppress the poison and protect his heart.”
“As for removing the poison, I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do. Madam, you should… prepare yourself.”
