PMM - 48

By January, the weather had gradually begun to warm up.

Yi Qian Cheng set out with his troops toward Yingdong, accompanied by Fu Yi, while Song Yuan remained in Shaji to safeguard the city. The two young masters of the Yan family were imprisoned in an estate within Shaji. Fearing that Yi Qian Cheng might send her to the military camp, Yan Yue ultimately decided to return to Fengmu.

Yi Qian Cheng departed at dawn. Lian Sheng was still asleep when he left. He gazed silently at her sleeping face for a long time, gently tucking the blanket around her before donning his armor and stepping out.

Lian Sheng opened her eyes, her vision blurred with tears.

She hadn’t slept all night. But she knew Yi Qian Cheng didn’t want her to see him off. No matter the outcome of this war, it wasn’t what she wanted.

After all these twists and turns, the inevitable confrontation with Yingdong had finally arrived.

With Yi Qian Cheng gone, the mansion grew eerily quiet. Three days earlier, Yi Huan had voluntarily bid farewell, wishing to return to Qihuang Mountain. After much hesitation, Yi Qian Cheng had agreed, leaving Lian Sheng as the only one in the mansion.

Hui Xue, the gray puppy, had grown significantly. Now that the coldest days were over, it frolicked joyfully around the courtyard. When Lu’er called for it, it wouldn’t come, but at the sound of Lian Sheng’s voice, it would excitedly dart out from some hidden corner.

Lu’er couldn’t help but grumble: “This clever little thing is practically turning into a spirit.”

Lian Sheng couldn’t help but laugh, but afterward, she felt an emptiness in her heart. Lu’er was now an eighteen-year-old girl. After Xi Yu’s death, the once carefree and timid girl seemed to have grown up overnight. Seeing Lian Sheng’s unhappiness, Lu’er couldn’t help but say: “My lady, you’ve lost so much weight recently. This can’t go on.”

Before, Lian Sheng’s fuller cheeks had softened her seductive features, giving her an air of innocence and charm. Now, she had grown noticeably thinner, her chin sharp and delicate. Though still beautiful, she looked fragile and pitiable.

Nanny Liu also chimed in: “Yes, my lady, this isn’t good. You haven’t eaten much today. Shall I have someone prepare dinner early?”

Though burdened by worries, Lian Sheng didn’t want Nanny Liu and Lu’er to fret over her, so she nodded.

But she couldn’t bring herself to eat. When the fish soup was brought in, she was overcome by nausea and gagged.

Lu’er panicked: “My lady, my lady, what’s wrong?”

“Take that away!” She pointed at the fish soup and gagged again. Lu’er froze for a moment—she had painstakingly prepared the soup for her lady, its aroma rich and inviting, yet Lian Sheng had vomited upon smelling it.

Lu’er quickly removed the dish. Once the smell dissipated, Lian Sheng began to feel better. Lu’er helped her clean her mouth, while Nanny Liu watched closely, suddenly exclaiming with joy: “My lady… could it be that you’re with child?”

At these words, everyone froze.

It had been a year since Lian Sheng married Yi Qian Cheng, and she had not conceived. Since the general never showed any urgency, no one had constantly dwelled on the matter.

Nanny Liu carefully recalled that in recent days, her lady had indeed been more drowsy than usual. Earlier, she had assumed it was due to her sadness over the general’s departure, but now it seemed likely that her lady might indeed be pregnant!

Delight spread across Nanny Liu’s face as she instructed a maid: “Go fetch the doctor.”

Lian Sheng sat there, expression blank, her hand resting on her flat stomach. Could it really be possible? Was there… a child growing inside her, a child she and Yi Qian Cheng had created?

Lian Sheng was both hopeful and nervous. On one hand, she wondered if her recent discomfort was simply due to her body reacting poorly to certain foods. On the other hand, she calculated the dates of her monthly cycle. Preoccupied with thoughts of Yi Qian Cheng’s campaign against Yingdong, she realized only now that her period was late.

After the doctor finished examining her pulse, everyone waited in tense silence. Finally, the doctor chuckled: “Congratulations, my lady. It’s a positive pulse—you’re nearly two months along.”

Lian Sheng placed her hand on her belly, joy slowly spreading through her. Her lips curved into a smile, her eyes bright with happiness.

She was going to have a child—a life intertwined with hers, a bond that would grow stronger with each passing day.

If the general were to find out, would he be as overjoyed as she was?

---

Liang Zhen hadn’t slept well for several days. Like a bird startled by the slightest noise, he began having nightmares the moment he closed his eyes.

In his dream, Yi Qian Cheng stood before him, holding a sword, his voice cold: “It was you who killed Fang Mu.”

There was no one by Liang Zhen’s side. He could only repeatedly deny the accusation: “It wasn’t me! It was Lord Lian—it was Lord Lian who killed him!”

Yi Qian Cheng took a step closer, the cold light of the sword reflecting on his face, making him appear even more menacing. “Then let’s settle the matter of your coveting my wife.” As soon as the words left his lips, the sword swung down, severing Liang Zhen’s head. His eyes remained wide open, even in death.

Liang Zhen woke with a start, drenched in sweat. A woman beside him gently consoled him: “Your Majesty, I’m here. Did you have another nightmare?”

He clutched her hand tightly: “Qi Yun, I… I dreamed that Yi Qian Cheng killed me, cutting off my head with a sword. The head rolled and rolled, stopping right next to my body.”

Qi Yun’s expression remained calm as she softly reassured him: “Your Majesty, it was just a dream. None of it was real. Yi Qian Cheng is merely a subject—he poses no threat to you.”

Her soft voice finally calmed him down. Rubbing his temples, Liang Zhen said: “Send for Lian Sitian.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll go at once.” Qi Yun curtsied and stepped out of the palace.

Lian Sitian—what a pitiful and tragic woman. Just half a year ago, Qi Yun had feared she would one day depend on this favored concubine for survival. But unexpectedly, the new consort had fallen out of favor almost immediately. The Hundred Charms Palace, once bustling, now stood empty, without an owner.

Liang Zhen cherished Qi Yun’s kindness and often favored her. In the current harem, the true favorite was Qi Yun. As for Lian Sitian, she was nothing more than a wretched woman whom anyone could trample upon. Even if the emperor suddenly wished to see her today, her deranged state made it impossible for her to regain favor.

Qi Yun curved her lips slightly. Even without lifting a finger, there were plenty of people in the palace who harbored jealousy and hatred toward Lian Sitian. In this harem, countless women had suddenly gone mad.

Lian Sitian lay sprawled on the ground, her hair disheveled, her eyes wild. She kept muttering two words under her breath. Upon closer inspection, one could discern that they were “Lian Sheng.” Liang Zhen hated her and felt no sympathy for her current state. But the fact that she had suddenly gone insane made it impossible to extract the information he needed, which only served to irritate him further.

“Lian Sitian, do you still recognize me?”

Her vacant gaze landed on his face, and she let out a couple of foolish giggles but said nothing.

“Hmph, useless.” Liang Zhen couldn’t help but curse. In recent days, battle reports had arrived—Lian Qi’s forces were being pushed back relentlessly by Yi Qian Cheng. Lian Qi hoped Liang Zhen would send reinforcements, but Liang Zhen was more wary of Xiang Han to the north.

His forces were already stretched thin. If he were to support Yingdong, Xiang Han might seize the opportunity to attack the imperial city, leaving him defenseless. Lord Ling Jiuyao of Huanshui had received his letter but remained silent, clearly unwilling to cooperate or involve himself in anything.

Looking at Lian Sitian only fueled his frustration. What use was this madwoman, when she had replaced the once beautiful consort? Perhaps the murderous intent in his eyes was too intense, for Lian Sitian shuddered. Raising her face to look at him, her voice raspy from lack of use, she croaked: “Your Majesty.”

“You’re not mad?”

Lian Sitian’s nails quietly dug into her palms. Had the murderous glint in his eyes not been so pronounced, she wouldn’t have revealed herself. By now, she finally understood what her mother had meant about the kind of place Liang Zhen’s side truly was. Regret and hatred intertwined within her, yet she had no choice but to survive in this devouring world. The other women wanted her to appear insane—and so she had to feign madness. Otherwise, she would have long since been reduced to a corpse.

“Your Majesty, I know how to deal with Yi Qian Cheng.”

Liang Zhen was surprised and crouched down to look at her. “Oh? Tell me.”

“You must promise to send me back to Yingdong.”

Liang Zhen’s eyes turned cold. “What makes you think you can bargain with me?”

“What makes me?” Lian Sitian burst into laughter, tears streaming down her face. “In my current state, I no longer fear death. If you let me return to Yingdong, it will benefit both of us. If not, then this matter will rot with me in the earth, and soon enough, you’ll all join me.”

She no longer cared about her life. Previously, she hadn’t dared to reveal her trump card to Liang Zhen, only informing him of Lian Qi’s inappropriate feelings for Lian Sheng. But this was her final card, and whether she could return to Yingdong depended on this one move.

Unexpectedly, Liang Zhen smiled. “Alright, I promise you. After the deed is done, I’ll send you back to Yingdong.”

Lian Sitian shook her head. “Your Majesty must first arrange for me to travel by water back to Yingdong, where my younger brother will meet me. At the handover, I will naturally tell you everything.” Liang Zhen’s gaze grew colder as Lian Sitian added languidly: “Once you learn this secret, Ling Jiuyao will have no choice but to help you.”

That night, a ship departed from the imperial city, heading toward Yingdong.

Standing at the bow, Lian Sitian’s hair and clothing were neatly arranged, her eyes indifferent, with a flicker of mockery flashing across them. She had finally left that accursed place. Once thought to be a treasure trove, it had turned into a living hell.

She hated Lian Sheng, she hated Liang Zhen, and she even hated her own father for misjudging people and marrying her off to the imperial palace. She would make sure none of them lived comfortably. Those who had humiliated her would pay, bit by bit.

After Lian Xiyue received Lian Sitian, she fulfilled her promise and wrote everything down on paper.

Her final trump card was this: On the night of Lian Sheng’s wedding, while delivering soup to her mother, she overheard her parents arguing. Lady Sang, unwilling to see Lian Sheng married to Yi Qian Cheng, mentioned Lian Sheng’s birth mother, Fei Yu’e.

The more she listened, the more shocked she became. It turned out… Lian Sheng wasn’t a child of the Lian family at all but the offspring of Ling Jiuyao, the lord of Huanshui!

This secret had been buried deep within Lian Sitian’s heart, but now she didn’t mind sharing it with Liang Zhen. As an added bonus, she even devised a plan for him: Liang Zhen would inform Ling Jiuyao that he had a daughter still alive in the world. If he wanted to know her whereabouts, he would have to kidnap Yi Qian Cheng’s wife, Lian Sheng, and hand her over to Liang Zhen as payment. Yi Qian Cheng cherished Lian Sheng, and with her in their grasp, he wouldn’t dare to act recklessly. Meanwhile, Ling Jiuyao, unaware of the truth, would deliver his own biological daughter into their hands, leaving him powerless to resist.

Lian Sitian almost laughed aloud. No matter what happened to Ling Jiuyao or Yi Qian Cheng in the end, could Lian Sheng, held captive by Liang Zhen, possibly return unscathed? Even if she survived and left the palace, a defiled woman would no longer be accepted by Yi Qian Cheng.

It was all Lian Sheng’s fault that she had been reduced to this state. She would make her taste every ounce of suffering she had endured!

---

When Ling Jiuyao received Liang Zhen’s message, his hands trembled with excitement. A man in his fifties, he grinned like a child: “Yu’e… she and I had a daughter! That means I’m…”

Ling Jiuyao’s second son, Ling Chu, sneered: “Father’s at such an age, yet he looks happier than his own son!”

Ling Feng smacked his younger brother on the head. “How dare you speak to Father like that? Apologize!”

Reluctantly rolling his eyes, Ling Chu muttered: “I’m sorry.” His father didn’t seem rigid at all—when he was young, he had sown countless wild oats. How had he ended up with such a stiff-necked son?

Ling Chu cast suspicious glances between Ling Jiuyao and Ling Feng, finding it hard to believe they were father and son. He clicked his tongue.

After his initial excitement subsided, Ling Jiuyao’s expression grew solemn. To discover the whereabouts of his and Yu’e’s daughter, he would need to kidnap Yi Qian Cheng’s wife. Ling Jiuyao didn’t want to commit such a dishonorable act, but he had spent a lifetime feeling indebted to Fei Yu’e, longing to reunite with her.

The daughter born to him by Fei Yu’e—he must cherish her like the apple of his eye. Ling Jiuyao had never had a daughter, only two sons. Every time he saw someone else’s daughter, he envied them to the point of red eyes. Now, he finally had a daughter! And she was the child of the woman he loved most.

Thinking of how his precious daughter and beloved woman had suffered for years outside, Ling Jiuyao couldn’t sit still. Clenching his teeth, he decided: “To hell with morality! For their sake, I’ll do whatever it takes. This time, I won’t care about anything else—I just want to bring Yu’e and my daughter home.”

Even Ling Feng couldn’t help but furrow his brow at the proposition. A man of integrity, he had always looked down upon such underhanded schemes. But thinking of how his father had spent most of his life alone, he could only sigh. He didn’t want to get involved in this matter, so he turned to his younger brother, Ling Chu.

Ling Chu raised an eyebrow and flashed a mischievous grin: “Oh? Brother, that’s not very fair of you. If you don’t want to do this dirty job, should I take it on instead?”

A vein throbbed on Ling Feng’s forehead as he turned away, no longer looking at him.

“Well, it’s not impossible,” Ling Chu continued with a smirk. “If you beg me nicely, I might just agree.”

Ling Jiuyao couldn’t resist smacking Ling Chu on the head. “You wretch! That’s your sister you’re talking about!”

Ling Chu hissed in pain. “Ouch! Fine! Father hits harder than my uptight brother!” Why did everyone think he was the right person for this task? He stroked his chin thoughtfully—he definitely didn’t look like someone who would pull off such a scheme.

In early spring, Ling Chu leisurely made his way toward Shaji. The weather was clear, and he idly mused to himself: “I heard that woman, Lian Sheng, is the daughter of Yi Qian Cheng’s enemy. How much must he love her to let her live this long?”

She must be a stunning beauty, he thought. In that case, this trip wouldn’t be a total loss. It was a pity she was already married—otherwise, he might have had a chance to charm her. Though Ling Chu wasn’t exactly principled, he still wouldn’t covet another man’s wife.

Behind him trailed a large group of disguised men. For a sister he had never met, his father had certainly gone to great lengths. With so many people, it almost seemed like he was being sent to storm the city lord’s residence in Shaji.