Volume One, Chapter 11: Pretending?

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Lu Changqing halted in his tracks, his brow twitching sharply. “Don’t ask for a divorce letter, I won’t give you even a separation notice!”

If they divorced, who would raise his child? Would he let the Lu family’s heir be cast out? Besides, if they parted ways, where would he find the precious blood to treat his beloved’s illness?

“To ask me to sacrifice my own life to fulfill your love, Lu Changqing, you are truly ruthless,” Fang Qianxue bit her lip, clutching the handkerchief tightly.

Just as she had suspected, this man was utterly selfish; he would never let her go.

“Qianxue! That Qilin Beast is starving to death. The Empress Dowager has already decreed that Miaoyan should enter the palace, but she’s so ill—how could that be possible?” Lu Changqing returned to her side, intending to pull her into his embrace, but Fang Qianxue dodged him. “Just make an exception—take only one day’s worth of blood for her so Miaoyan’s condition can improve before entering the palace. Please?”

“Impossible,” Fang Qianxue sat back down on the soft couch, pouring herself a cup of tea. “I’ve already said she’s not really sick; it’s you who won’t believe me.”

“You! Fine, if you won’t listen, don’t blame me for being merciless!” Lu Changqing said triumphantly. “His Majesty has ordered me to the Supervision Department to fill my elder brother’s post and preside over the case against Prince Yong. I had intended to spare Fang Jue and the others, but now, we’ll see what happens!”

With that, he swept his sleeve and left.

The tea in Fang Qianxue’s hand spilled over; she quickly wiped the wetness off the table.

The memorial accusing Prince Yong of rebellion had just reached the capital when Emperor Ming also received news of troop movements in Jiangnan. Believing the prince had preemptively rebelled upon receiving the news, the emperor dispatched troops to Jiangning without question and imprisoned several ministers allied with Prince Yong.

That very night, the Prince Yong Mansion was wiped out. Her grandfather, Tutor Fang, once Prince Yong’s mentor and repeatedly recommended as heir apparent, naturally could not escape.

This case had never been properly tried until the turmoil subsided, and only then did Emperor Ming recall it.

In the original story, she promised to provide blood for Xu Miaoyan, and Lu Changqing had agreed to spare the Fang family. But she died before the verdict, and Lu Changqing turned his back on them, sentencing all Fang men to death to demonstrate his righteousness.

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So what was the value of his promise?

Fortunately, now that she had awakened, she would never again entrust her fate to others.

“We’ll see,” Fang Qianxue said, gazing into the night outside the window, a faint smile curling her lips.

***

Feeling a surge of anger with no outlet, Lu Changqing emerged from the Plum Blossom Pavilion, choosing not to return to his study but turning instead toward the small courtyard behind Pine Sound Residence.

There was a relatively secluded courtyard there, prepared by Madam Chen for Xu Miaoyan to live in.

“Murder to save a life? That jealous woman’s antics have become outrageous lately, even claiming Miaoyan is feigning illness. How absurd,” Lu Changqing muttered softly as he walked. “Can’t I see whether she’s pretending? Can’t the court physician? Does she really think only the Fang family is clever in this world?”

Before reaching the covered corridor, he caught sight of a graceful figure leaning against the railing.

Xu Miaoyan cradled a tabby cat, admiring the moonlight.

“That’s Miaoyan,” Lu Changqing softened his steps, his gaze becoming dreamy as he admired the beauty before him.

After all, she was just a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl. With her hair half pinned up and dressed in a loose plain nightgown, she exuded an irresistible charm.

To Lu Changqing, every inch of her frost-white skin was fresh and new.

He couldn’t help but swallow hard.

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“Kitty, why hasn’t Lu Changqing brought me the Fang family’s precious blood yet? Could it be he’s realized I tricked him?” Xu Miaoyan’s gentle voice drifted over. “If Fang Qianxue doesn’t die soon, I won’t be able to keep pretending anymore. The medicine the court physician prescribed tastes worse than bitter herbs.”

“Meow~ Meow!” The tabby cat called out rhythmically twice.

“Changing one’s fate isn’t so simple. This illness must be feigned; the bitterness I endure is worth it,” Xu Miaoyan sighed. “Fang Qianxue and I are two sides of the same coin—if she doesn’t die, I’ll remain just a shadow, unable to accomplish anything. Only when she dies can I truly become a phoenix.”

“Meow meow!”

“Don’t worry, I’ve already spread the word that I have a heart ailment,” Xu Miaoyan said, stroking the cat’s fur. “With the pills that confuse the pulse, even a divine doctor won’t detect any deceit. Once the Fang family is dead, I’ll announce my recovery from the heart illness, and then I won’t need to take medicine anymore!”

“Feigning… feigning?” The man standing in the darkness suddenly blacked out before his eyes, nearly collapsing.

Miaoyan, so innocent and pure—how could she be pretending to fool him?

She wasn’t ill; taking Fang Qianxue’s precious blood was just a deadly exchange?

Could that jealous woman’s words actually be true?

“What did you say? Feigning illness? Changing fate?!” Countless images flooded his mind, and all his frustration instantly turned to hatred: he had almost killed his true wife for a liar!