Chapter 1 Memories Awakened

The aged voice was as cold and eerie as a ghost.

In an instant, it awakened long-dormant memories in the woman.

"Uncle Yang, I beg you, don't kill me. I'll work, I can do anything."

"You little slut! Blame it on your bad luck! Of all people to offend, you had to offend the Shen family..."

"Uncle Yang, are you really... not willing to give me a way out?"

"I'll give you a way out? Who's going to give me… Ah! You…"

Boom! A clap of thunder exploded.

The tall, sturdy man crashed to the ground, a sharp wooden stake piercing his body. His eyes were wide open, his face twisted in extreme pain.

Blood splattered in the torrential rain, the pungent stench mingling with the fresh scent of earth in the air. Under the lightning flashes, the girl gently wiped the blood from her cheek, her pale face a mixture of horror and madness.

"Uncle Yang, I gave you a chance. You brought this on yourself!"

She murmured with a smile, tears and blood mingling in the downpour...

The corpse, still warm, was swallowed by countless venomous snakes in the rain...

In the end, only a skeleton remained...

"Dead! Hahahaha... dead..."

A shrill, frantic child's voice echoed in her ears, and Yu Qingwu cowered, trembling.

In the outer hall, Qiu Shi's dry voice came again, "Your Highness, Crown Prince, do you know how that Yang family man died?"

"According to the local residents, the Yang family man fell into a hunting trap and was pierced through the abdomen. Not only that, but after his death, countless venomous snakes devoured his flesh overnight, leaving only a skeleton. After that, the girl who was apprenticed to him at his estate disappeared..."

"People say that his unconscionable apprentice murdered him for his money. But alas, it rained heavily that night, and everything was washed clean. The government could only rule it an accident..."

Qiu Shi gave a sardonic smile, her old eyes slowly scrutinizing the young Crown Prince opposite her. Seeing that he showed no emotion, she said with a faint smile, "Your Highness, as this old woman knows, the Yang family only ever took in A-Wu as an apprentice."

"So, the Old Madam Shen believes that A-Wu killed him?" Xie Jin Yan took a sip of tea and said with a mocking smile.

His face showed neither the shock Qiu Shi wanted, nor the slightest fear.

Qiu Shi was stunned, seemingly not expecting Xie Jin Yan to react this way.

After a pause, she said unwillingly, "Your Highness, aren't you afraid of losing your career by taking in such a murderer as your Liangdi (a concubine title)?"

"What? Is the Old Madam Shen going to file a complaint with the Emperor?" Xie Jin Yan scoffed and looked at her coldly. "Rather than worrying about whether my Liangdi is a murderer, Old Madam should worry about the massacre of fifty members of the Dengzhou's richest Yu family eleven years ago. As far as I know, the Yu family's assets ultimately went to your Rongguo Duke's Mansion. As the biggest beneficiary, it would be hard to believe that this case has nothing to do with you, Old Madam Shen."

"What nonsense are you talking about!" Qiu Shi was shocked, almost furious.

She seemed to want to use her anger to cover up something, but the guilt in her eyes betrayed her.

Looking at Xie Jin Yan's sharp gaze, Qiu Shi's face turned pale.

She bit her lip and said sternly, "Your Highness, you must not listen to my granddaughter's slander. She is ungrateful..."

"I don't know whether Shijie (Senior apprentice sister) is ungrateful or not, but if Shijie wants to kill someone, then it must be..."

"He deserved to die!" The man's voice wasn't loud, and there was even a hint of a smile in his phoenix eyes. He swept his gaze gently over the tense old woman opposite him. Before she could speak, he pointed to the door and said softly, "Old Madam Shen, people should know when they have enough. Be careful of losing everything if you covet what doesn't belong to you. Please leave."

"Oh, and please tell His Majesty that your Shen family wants to break off the engagement."

"As for the reason, it's either that the Third Miss Shen is impure, or... the Third Miss Shen's Bazi (the Eight Characters of Birth, used in fortune-telling) is cursed to kill her husband. Take your pick."

Adding another sentence with a faint smile, Xie Jin Yan got up and walked slowly towards the inner room.

Qiu Shi stood there, staring at his disappearing back in the next room, her face ashen.

This Crown Prince was cutting off all avenues for her granddaughter!

But if she didn't agree, she was afraid that the entire Rongguo Duke's Mansion would be ruined!

Qiu Shi bit her teeth tightly and stepped out of the Crown Prince's hall, trembling.

Behind the screen, Yu Qingwu was pale, covered in sweat despite the cold winter month.

She bit her lip tightly, cowering in her chair.

Seeing Xie Jin Yan walking over, she forced herself to stand up and bowed stiffly to him, "Your concubine greets Your Highness."

"Shijie seems to enjoy eavesdropping?" Xie Jin Yan helped her up, gently glancing at her trembling lips. His eyes darkened, and he asked, "Shijie, is the death of that Yang family man really related to you?"

Hearing this, Yu Qingwu's pupils contracted violently.

Her already unsightly complexion became even worse.

Fear and murderous intent intertwined in her eyes as she said decisively, "No, I didn't kill him."

"I was only eleven years old at that time. He was so tall, so strong. How could I have killed him?"

"Really?" Xie Jin Yan placed his hands on her shoulders, seemingly to comfort her, but also with a hint of doubt. He looked at her with gentle eyes and asked softly, "Shijie, don't you trust me?"

"I..." Yu Qingwu looked at the man for a moment, her eyes reddened, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Her pale lips parted slightly, wanting to say something, but hesitating.

Finally, she shook her head violently at Xie Jin Yan, "I... I didn't kill him, I didn't..."

She kept denying it, but her body couldn't help but lean into the man's arms. Her hands gripped his waist tightly as she sobbed softly.

Xie Jin Yan raised his hand and gently hugged Yu Qingwu, stroking her back over and over again.

After a long time, until the woman in his arms had completely calmed down, he slowly let go of her, reached out to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes, and said softly, "A-Wu, you've always been afraid of thunder, is it because of that person..."

Was killed by her on a stormy night...

Xie Jin Yan didn't say the last sentence.

Yu Qingwu didn't answer, her eyes still filled with tears. Her hands were still wrapped around his waist, not wanting to let go. Her usually charming and sharp peach blossom eyes were now filled with helplessness and panic. She looked at him with tears in her eyes for a moment, then nodded heavily.

No wonder, no wonder that when Qingwu first entered the sect, he always felt a murderous aura in her eyes. Sometimes, faintly, he could still see some ferocity and emptiness.

An eleven-year-old child, a young lady who should have been delicate and pampered, had killed someone to survive...

That kind of fear...

Xie Jin Yan didn't dare to think about it anymore. He closed his eyes and hugged her even tighter, feeling sorry for her, "Shijie, don't worry, the Shen family won't act rashly. Old Madam Shen isn't stupid, she knows what's important."

Hearing this, Yu Qingwu didn't answer, only nestled in the man's arms, her eyes looking out the window at the falling snowflakes.

In the carriage, Qiu Shi's face was gloomy, her brows tightly furrowed.

Unknowingly, they had already arrived at the Rongguo Duke's Mansion.

At the gate, Shen Rou had been standing for a long time.

Seeing her grandmother return, she hurried forward to help her, asking excitedly, "Grandmother, how was it? Was the Crown Prince very angry when he learned the truth about that woman?"