In the dark dungeon of the Dali Temple.
Wei Yun was still dreaming of being rescued.
In fact, in the days she had been imprisoned, her treatment was worlds apart from that of other prisoners.
Without the Wei family’s orders, the Dali Temple Minister, Lord Ban, had secretly instructed them to take good care of her.
Her cell was a private one, complete with soft bedding and quilts. Her three meals a day consisted of four dishes and one soup, a balanced combination of meat and vegetables, and nutritious.
It was no wonder Wei Yun felt that the Wei family would definitely rescue her.
November had already entered winter. Although it was early winter, the dungeon at night was chillingly cold.
Unlike the dry cold outside, the cold in the dungeon was accompanied by darkness and dampness.
This sticky, chilling cold made Wei Yun feel as if countless small insects were crawling into her body, even when she was wrapped in a thick brocade quilt.
She had not bathed or changed her clothes for three days.
When would the Wei family come to pick her up?
As if to mirror her thoughts, unhurried footsteps suddenly echoed in the cell. As she looked up, a clear fragrance, like plum blossoms, drifted over.
She raised her head and saw Wei Yu.
Wei Yun suddenly became excited. She threw off the quilt wrapped around her, jumped off the bed with a whoop, and ran to the iron gate of the cell.
“Second Sister, are you here to rescue me?”
Wei Yu showed a gentle and pure smile and ordered someone to open the cell door.
“Ayun, you have suffered.” She held Wei Yun’s hand, her voice full of heartache.
Wei Yun’s nose stung, and her eyes reddened. Living in such a dilapidated place, she truly felt wronged.
Holding back tears, she shook her head. “I… I messed up the task Grandfather assigned. Grandfather must be very disappointed in me, right?”
Wei Yu affectionately stroked her cheek and sighed, “It’s not your fault. It’s that Wang Qingyao who is too cunning.”
Speaking of this, Wei Yu herself frowned.
Really, why did every plan targeting Wang Qingyao fail?
The only thing that could be considered somewhat successful was when the Fifth Princess caused Wang Qingyao to have a premature birth.
Perhaps dealing with Wang Qingyao required such direct action?
Wei Yu mused.
Hearing that Wei Yu did not blame her but instead comforted her, Wei Yun felt relieved.
“Second Sister, give me another chance, and I will definitely succeed.” Wei Yun hurriedly expressed her loyalty. She was already married to Xiao Yun, and everyone knew she was the concubine of the Prince of Ding’an. She could no longer marry anyone else; her future lay in the Prince of Ding’an’s mansion.
“Help me get out, and I’ll beg Wang Qingyao for forgiveness. The Prince listens to her. As long as she forgives me, it will be fine.” Wei Yun seemed to be comforting herself. “Second Sister, you don’t know, but I am still a virgin. The Prince has never touched me. If this gets out, how can Wang Qingyao maintain her reputation?”
Wei Yun was somewhat fortunate at this moment that Wang Qingyao kept a close eye on Xiao Yun, and they had not yet consummated their marriage.
For a principal wife, preventing her husband from touching a concubine bestowed by imperial decree was a violation of the seven grounds for divorce, which could lead to her being cast out.
Although Xiao Yun would not divorce Wang Qingyao, if this matter spread, what face would Wang Qingyao have in noble circles?
Didn’t she care about her reputation?
Wei Yun felt that with this leverage, Wang Qingyao would definitely allow her to return to the Prince of Ding’an’s mansion. Once back in the mansion, she would have a chance to deal with Wang Qingyao.
Next time, Wang Qingyao would not be so lucky!
Wei Yun’s thoughts drifted far, far away.
Wei Yu raised an eyebrow and looked at her with pity. “I’m afraid you won’t have the chance.”
Wei Yun was startled and looked at Wei Yu in terror.
“You don’t know, but the Xiao family has spread the news that you attempted to murder the Princess Consort. The Prince of Ding’an has already met with the Emperor, and the Emperor is very angry. He even scolded Auntie…”
Wei Yun’s face turned pale, and the blood in her limbs gradually turned cold.
She asked in a hoarse voice, “How will the Emperor punish me?”
“Although Auntie was scolded, she still pleaded for you.” Wei Yu spoke while slowly walking behind Wei Yun. “The Emperor said, the Emperor said that your death sentence can be spared, but you cannot escape punishment, but…”
Wei Yun, hearing that she wouldn’t die, breathed a sigh of relief, only to be startled by Wei Yu’s “but” and her heart leaped. She turned her head to ask Wei Yu what the “but” was.
However, before she could turn her head, a soft scarf was suddenly wrapped around her neck.
In the moment she was stunned, the scarf was pulled back forcefully.
Wei Yu’s breath sprayed on her ear, and her voice remained sweet and gentle. “But Grandfather said you must die!”
As her words fell, the scarf around Wei Yun’s neck tightened.
Wei Yun struggled to pull at the scarf in pain, her face turning a dark purple.
“Why…”
She managed to utter a sound with difficulty.
She wanted to ask why.
Was she going to be killed for one failure?
Although she was not the legitimate daughter, her body carried the blood of the Wei family!
The Emperor had already agreed not to kill her.
Wei Yun gasped for breath, feeling both sad and indignant.
Wei Yu used all her strength, her face contorted in a grimace.
Panting, she said sweetly, “Ayun, don’t blame me. Grandfather ordered me to do this. If you want revenge, go find Grandfather. Don’t come looking for me.”
Wei Yun stopped moving. Her body went limp and collapsed to the ground, her eyes wide open, filled with resentment and unwillingness.
Wei Yu let out a laugh, a laugh that still sounded somewhat charming.
This kind of murder originally didn’t require her, the future Crown Princess, to do it personally. With just a command, there would be plenty of people willing to serve her.
But Grand Tutor Wei had said that she was the Crown Princess, the future empress of the Great Sheng dynasty.
She could not have any trace of soft-heartedness or feminine benevolence. Worldly emotions would only become her stumbling block.
Her heart had to be sufficiently ruthless and hard.
Although she was not a good person, she had never personally killed anyone, especially not her own sister.
She thought she would hesitate, be afraid, or be unable to bear it.
But when she acted, she only felt excitement and exhilaration, as if the blood in her body was boiling and roaring.
She felt Wei Yun’s struggle and fear, and her heart was filled with an unparalleled sense of peace and comfort.
Wei Yu casually took out the scarf and wiped her hands, then handed it to her trusted maid, Xiao Lian, who was waiting outside the cell. “Take it back and burn it.”
Xiao Lian lowered her head, not daring to look at her. “Yes.”
Behind Xiao Lian stood several jailers from the Dali Temple. Compared to Xiao Lian’s fear, they were quite accustomed to it.
Such things were too common in the dungeon.
Wei Yu walked out of the cell. Two jailers went in. One took the bedding from the bed, the sheet, tore it into strips, and hung it on a beam.
The other skillfully picked up Wei Yun and placed her neck into the noose.
The next day, the news of Wei Yun’s suicide due to guilt spread to both the Imperial Palace and the Prince of Ding’an’s mansion.
Wang Qingyao received the news even earlier than the Emperor.
Fang Zheng had many connections in the Dali Temple.
As soon as he received the news, he sent someone to inform Xiao Yun, who then told Wang Qingyao.
The two of them had already guessed that the Wei family would do this and were not surprised at all.
The Emperor, however, was very surprised.
He had been seriously considering how to deal with Wei Yun, but Wei Yun had been sensible and hanged herself, saving the Emperor a lot of trouble.
As Wei Yun was a married woman, she could not be buried in the Wei family’s ancestral grave after her death.
However, the Prince of Ding’an’s mansion clearly would not claim her body either.
Therefore, after her death, Wei Yun was left with only a lonely grave in the wilderness.