"My reputation will be ruined, who will respect me then? I beg Your Highness for mercy." Zhou Hanxiao found herself dragged into the bedroom. Though she knew it was a slim hope, she still tried her best to plead for herself.
The Third Prince was notoriously willful; no one could stop him from doing what he desired, especially since it was this woman who had initiated the encounter.
What angered her even more was that after it was over, the Third Prince left alone, abandoning her here.
By the time she had dressed and sent for a carriage, it was late, and the city gates were already closed. She had no choice but to stay the night.
She could imagine the commotion back home when they realized she hadn't returned. She didn't know what her fate would be.
She hadn't slept all night. Sometimes, she tried to console herself, perhaps the Third Prince wasn't as useless as her father claimed. What if he succeeded in his bid for the throne? She would then be an imperial concubine, with wealth and prosperity within easy reach.
Seeing that it was already dark and her mistress had not returned, the maids and servants became frantic and quickly reported it.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Xiangyu and Madam Zhu were shocked and immediately dispatched people to search discreetly. The coachman, upon receiving the news, felt his hands and feet turn cold and rushed to find his master, trembling.
He truly hadn't expected things to escalate this far. He had thought it would be like before, with the Third Prince escorting the young lady home. Although the Third Prince's attitude had been unpleasant then, they were all people who valued their reputations and wouldn't do anything outrageous. He hadn't expected things to spiral beyond his control and shuddered to imagine the consequences for himself.
Despite the coachman's incoherent stammering due to nervousness and fear, Zhou Xiangyu managed to grasp the implied meaning of his words. The situation had ultimately developed in the worst possible direction.
After searching until midnight and learning that the Third Prince had returned before dark while his daughter remained missing, he decided to wait until the next morning. If his daughter still hadn't appeared, he would go to the Third Prince's mansion to demand her return.
Zhou Hanxiao dared not delay. Before dawn, she waited outside the city gates and hurried home as soon as they opened.
Upon seeing her, the servants, acting on their orders, immediately took her to see her father.
Zhou Hanxiao looked at her father, tears flowing before she could speak. Zhou Xiangyu understood everything at a glance. Without a word, he told her to go back and rest.
The situation had reached a deadlock. The Third Prince was clearly determined to have his way this time. Although he had ordered a discreet search, secrets were impossible to keep in the city. Those who needed to know, knew what had happened in the household.
Even though the Third Prince did not have the Emperor's favor, he could easily deal with a small Zhou Mansion if he wished.
Furthermore, after such an incident, even if his daughter didn't enter the Third Prince's mansion, no one would dare marry her. Sighing, he wrote a letter and had the steward send it out, intending to break off the engagement first.
Zhou Xiangyu had expected the Third Prince to propose marriage soon, but after waiting and waiting, no one came. This made him anxious, unsure of the other party's intentions.
Given what had happened, Zhou Hanxiao was reluctant to go out. However, the longer she waited at home, the more unsettled she became.
Therefore, ignoring her father's advice, she insisted on going out and, by chance, encountered Wu Caiwei, who was also out shopping.
She initially had more important matters to attend to and didn't want to bother with Wu Caiwei. But seeing her leisurely demeanor, and thinking of her own predicament, she felt a pang of bitterness.
After restraining herself several times, she couldn't hold back any longer. She ordered the coachman to stop the carriage and lifted the curtain. With a sarcastic tone, she said, "Isn't this Miss Zhou? Why are you out shopping alone? Don't you have someone to accompany you?" She then paused as if remembering something and added apologetically, "I'm truly sorry, I misspoke. After what happened, who would dare marry you? You're destined to be alone forever."
"Miss Zhou the Second need not worry about that. You should mind your own business. I heard the Third Prince Consort has selected several beauties for the Third Prince. With his new love, he's forgotten the old. He's too happy to return." Wu Caiwei was not to be outdone. If it was about hurting feelings, who couldn't do that?
"You... you... I don't understand what you're saying." Zhou Hanxiao's eyes darted away, pretending ignorance despite knowing the truth. She couldn't fathom how Wu Caiwei knew and dared not think about it.
"You know in your heart whether you understand or not. Don't waste my time here. It's best you attend to your own matters." Wu Caiwei felt she was truly unlucky that day, having gone out without checking the almanac and encountering such an annoying person. She wanted to get rid of her quickly.
Zhou Hanxiao wanted to retort a few words, but they caught in her throat, unsure of how to proceed. It was clear Wu Caiwei was well-informed and knew something. Anything she said would not be believed. Her face flushed red with frustration, and she ordered the coachman to leave quickly.
Before leaving, she had already inquired about the Third Prince's whereabouts and deliberately cornered him at a street corner.
The moment she revealed her face, she put on a pitiful expression and, with a coquettish, plaintive tone, pouted, "Your Highness truly has a bad memory. I've been waiting for you at home for days, but you never came. I had no choice but to come here and intercept you."
The Third Prince, who had been somewhat annoyed, felt a flicker of guilt upon hearing her words. He had, in fact, forgotten about the matter and repeatedly promised to propose marriage the next day.
Thinking of the new love he had just acquired, who was waiting for him, he quickly dismissed Zhou Hanxiao. She knew the Third Prince's intentions all too well and reluctantly departed.
In a place unseen by others, her affection turned to rage. Contemplating her current awkward situation, her hatred for Wu Caiwei deepened. If it weren't for meeting her, why would she have gone out? How could the Third Prince have succeeded?
This time, the Third Prince kept his word. The next morning, the Third Prince Consort arrived with a matchmaker to propose marriage.
After a few polite exchanges, Madam Zhu finalized the matter. Since it was a concubine, there were not many formalities, and they agreed to pick her up on this day a month later.
Wu Caiwei's business was thriving. She opened two more shops, and due to her established reputation, no one dared cause trouble.
Of course, this was also because the Prime Minister's wife was busy with her own affairs and had no time to deal with her. If she were to intervene, the situation would undoubtedly be different.
To further facilitate her business, Wu Caiwei actively gathered information, disguised herself, and fanned the flames. As a result, both sides were quite grateful to her, as she always brought them crucial news.
The Prime Minister had been overwhelmed lately. He used to mock others for poor household management but now, faced with the difficulty of maintaining harmony among his wife, concubines, and the mutual support of his descendants, he deeply missed the old days.
Wu Caiwei was destined not to let them live in peace. The original owner's wish was for her to avenge her. If she only caused minor squabbles every day, what would be her purpose?
Thus, Lin Zhanyang encountered the thin, weak man again. This time, he decided to ask his name and where he lived, wanting to strike up a friendship.