The Valued Lady is Truly Dominant

The Princess Consort of Prince Min watched the Lady Liu kowtow repeatedly as if she felt no pain. The crisp, echoing thumps resounded in her heart like a hammer, and upon seeing the blood on Liu’s head, her vision blurred, and she felt dizzy.

Her body swayed slightly, and she squatted down to support Lady Liu.

Lady Liu, her mind in a haze, looked up. Her eyes seemed blood-tinged, bearing a trace of desperation.

The Princess Consort of Prince Min closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again, saying: ”Lady Liu, you understand in your heart, if I had that ability, would I still be here like this?”

Lady Liu shuddered.

The Princess Consort of Prince Min’s eyes were calm as she gazed into the distance, saying, ”I can’t help you.”

She stood up and instructed the maids: ”Take Concubine Liu back and have the court physician take good care of her.”

The maids rushed over, half running, to support Lady Liu away.

”If anything happens to Dong’er, I will not let you go, remnant of the Xia family, even as a ghost.”

Liu’s voice, filled with hatred, reached her ears from behind.

The Princess Consort of Prince Min paused in her step and left without turning back.

”Mistress, Lady Liu is truly outrageous.”

Back in her courtyard, the Princess Consort of Prince Min sat dazed at the table. Late Spring served her a cup of tea and cursed indignantly.

The Princess Consort of Prince Min held the tea in her hands and said softly: ”A beast with deep affection, having lost its young, is as desperate as it is frenzied. You don’t understand.”

Late Spring pursed her lips, hesitated, and finally said: ”But she shouldn’t blame you. You’re so innocent.”

The Princess Consort of Prince Min smiled bitterly: ”I’ve said it, being surnamed Xia is my original sin. As the descendant of that person, who talks of innocence?”

Late Spring felt a dry bitterness in her mouth and said, bluntly: ”I don’t understand. Why did they capture Young Master Dong? And now they put the blame on you.”

The Princess Consort of Prince Min didn’t speak. A terrifying suspicion lingered in her heart, which she dared not express.

”Don’t think about it. Go on and settle in.”

Seeing her mistress’s low spirits, Late Spring didn’t dare say more. She called someone to assist the Princess Consort of Prince Min with washing up, watching over her until she lay down, then retired to the outer room for the night.

However, as the Princess Consort of Prince Min lay in bed, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep, haunted by an unshakeable thought that left her heart restless and somewhat incredulous.

”It’s impossible. I am overthinking it. How could it be true?” She laughed self-deprecatingly, chastising herself for foolish speculation.

How could this person intentionally conspire with her late father’s former subordinates unless he was not Prince Min?

While in a half-sleep state, just as the Princess Consort of Prince Min was about to completely drift off, Late Spring’s voice rang next to her ear.

She opened her eyes, seeing Late Spring’s anxious face, and asked: ”What is it? Is it dawn?”

Late Spring shook her head, saying: ”No, Mistress, Concubine Liu has hanged herself.”

The Princess Consort of Prince Min sat up with a start, her drowsiness immediately dispelled by a chill, saying: ”What did you say?”

”Concubine Liu hanged herself with a white silk scarf,” Late Spring said bleakly.

The Princess Consort of Prince Min brushed her arm and said: ”Light the lamps and bring plain clothing, I’ll go and see.”

Late Spring wanted to say there’s nothing to see, but upon seeing her mistress’s expression, she curtsied and went to prepare.

The Princess Consort of Prince Min hugged herself, closed her eyes, with Lady Liu’s bloodstained eyes before her, and sighed deeply.

Far away at the estate, Shang Pu took the small note Dong Da handed over, delivered by carrier pigeon. Upon reading that Lady Liu was already dead, he threw it into the brazier without a change in expression, watching it turn to ashes, his lips curling in a cold smile.