Chapter 85
The sounds outside the room naturally reached Li Zhiwei’s ears.
She was also quite curious—was the person outside the one who had abducted her, or someone here to rescue her?
Thinking about it, Li Zhiwei almost wanted to laugh.
After all, she must have some remarkable talent to have so many powerful figures in the capital vying for her life.
The dilapidated door was finally pushed open from the outside.
Li Zhiwei remained seated on the floor, no longer caring about the filth and disorder around her.
But when she saw the palace-dressed beauty standing outside, she froze for a moment.
She had definitely seen this woman before today.
However, while she knew this was one of the Emperor’s concubines, she had no idea which one.
One of the Emperor’s concubines?
Surely she hadn’t done anything to provoke someone like that?
As Li Zhiwei studied Liu Ruyan, Liu Ruyan was also scrutinizing her.
Seeing Li Zhiwei sitting so carelessly on the grimy floor, Liu Ruyan couldn’t help but sneer in disdain.
Truly a country bumpkin, with no sense of propriety.
"Impudent woman! How dare you not bow upon seeing my mistress?" Mo Yu immediately scolded when she noticed Li Zhiwei made no move to show respect.
"What mistress? I’d like to ask instead—which household’s lady is so ill-mannered as to kidnap me and bring me here?" Li Zhiwei retorted sharply.
Hmph. You want my life, yet expect me to grovel before you?
She had plenty of money, but she wasn’t stupid.
"Mo Yu, why waste words on a dead woman?" Liu Ruyan sat gracefully on a chair brought over by a eunuch.
She looked down at Li Zhiwei as if she were nothing more than an ant.
Not even worth a second glance.
"I am the future Princess Consort of An, personally betrothed by His Majesty. If you want my life, you’d better think twice," Li Zhiwei said, unshaken by the other woman’s imposing aura.
After all, she recognized the Empress and knew the Four Noble Consorts. Since this woman had been seated in the middle-to-lower ranks earlier, her status couldn’t be that high.
And Li Zhiwei—not only was she the daughter of an official, but also the future Princess Consort of An by imperial decree. By rights, once she married Prince An, her status wouldn’t be any lower than this woman’s.
"Silence!" Liu Ruyan, who had been smug just moments ago, now clenched her handkerchief tightly in jealousy.
This damned wretch—was she flaunting that she could obtain what Liu Ruyan herself could never have?
Ignoring Liu Ruyan’s fury, Li Zhiwei stood up and dusted off her clothes, grumbling inwardly.
Xu Heming, if you don’t come rescue me soon, I might end up injured again by the time I return.
And then, it won’t be so easy for you to marry me.
Father would never allow me to wed a man who can’t even protect me.
---
Imperial Study
"Your Majesty, is this what you wished to discuss with me?" Xu Heming took a deep breath, eyeing the useless little eunuch kneeling below.
"Minister Xu, don’t be angry. Now that this man has spoken, we only need to follow this lead to find out where Miss Li is," Zhu Jingchen said with a smile.
Still, he wanted to uncover the mastermind behind this.
He had already sent people to watch over Li Zhiwei. Once the culprit was exposed, he would compensate her properly.
"Your Majesty, someone has broken into the Cold Palace!" Before Xu Heming could respond, a guard shouted urgently from outside the hall.
"Your Majesty, you’d best pray my future wife is unharmed. Otherwise, I won’t care who the culprit is!" Xu Heming took a deep breath, glaring at Zhu Jingchen before storming out.
He assumed Zhu Jingchen knew the identity of the kidnapper and was trying to protect them.
"Send men immediately to see who dares act so recklessly under Our eyes—" Zhu Jingchen began, then reconsidered. "No, We shall go personally!"
He wanted to see for himself who had the audacity to abduct someone right under his nose.
"Your Majesty, please be careful," Eunuch Liu fretted, watching the Emperor’s furious stride.
---
Meanwhile, the Empress had also received word.
"What? The Cold Palace? Who would dare hide Miss Li there?" The Empress paled in shock.
This would surely earn her another reprimand from the Emperor for incompetence.
---
Elsewhere, Zhu Hanyu and Xu Qingshi caught only fragments of the conversation—"Cold Palace."
"Your Highness, could it be that someone else has discovered your divine beast?" Xu Qingshi asked curiously, watching the Empress hurry away.
"What? That’s unacceptable!" Zhu Hanyu had been flipping through books for ages, yet none contained a single method for taming such mythical creatures.
Now, before he could even panic properly, he heard someone might have found his precious divine beast? Impossible!
"No, we must go at once! We can’t let someone else take it first!" Zhu Hanyu declared urgently.
The two boys exchanged a glance, united in one thought—they had to get to the Cold Palace immediately.
---
But when they finally squeezed through the small dog hole into the so-called "divine beast’s lair," they instead saw Liu Ruyan’s servants restraining Li Zhiwei.
"Who is that woman?" Xu Qingshi could only see Liu Ruyan’s back.
"One of my father’s concubines, I think. Rumor has it she lost a child years ago because of another consort. Maybe she’s punishing that woman now. Doesn’t concern us," Zhu Hanyu said dismissively.
"How sad." Young Xu Qingshi, unaware of the palace’s ruthlessness, felt a pang of sympathy for Liu Ruyan.
SLAP!
A sharp crack echoed as a red handprint bloomed across Li Zhiwei’s fair cheek.
"You wretch, did you really think someone would come save you today?" Liu Ruyan smiled in satisfaction at the mark she’d left.
"Don’t get too smug. Prince An will come for me!" Li Zhiwei hadn’t expected the woman to strike her.
Damn it—where was that man who’d promised to protect her?
Stupid palace rules, not allowing her to bring her maids! If Qinghua or Qingyue were here, she wouldn’t be helpless against this abuse!
"Still defiant? You think you’re worthy of Prince An? He belongs to me!" Liu Ruyan gripped Li Zhiwei’s chin viciously.
"You… love Prince An?" Li Zhiwei was stunned.
So all this was because of Xu Heming’s unresolved romantic entanglements?
No wonder—how could she have offended one of the Emperor’s concubines otherwise? The Emperor had no interest in her and had even approved her marriage to Prince An.
Turns out, it all boiled down to jealousy over her engagement.
Perfect.
"Strange… that voice sounds a bit like my stepmother," Xu Qingshi muttered, unable to see Li Zhiwei but recognizing her voice. Earlier, he thought he’d heard her cries for help.
"If you want to go home, just say so. No need for excuses," Zhu Hanyu scoffed, eyeing Xu Qingshi with disdain. Who knew the boy was so clingy to his mother?
"I’m not making excuses! I’m saying the person that woman is talking to might be my stepmother!" Xu Qingshi grew anxious. From their angle, it was clear the woman was tormenting someone—and if that someone was his stepmother…
No, I must protect my stepmother at all costs!
"What are you doing?!" Without a second thought, Xu Qingshi rushed forward and shouted at Liu Ruyan.
