Chapter Nine: A Summons from the Noblewoman

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Two families broke off their engagement. The eldest daughter of General Ningyuan was accused of lacking virtue and being cruel-hearted; not only did she secretly become pregnant by another man, but she also schemed to have her younger sister take her place.

This news spread like a snowball, growing larger with every retelling. Within half a day, almost all of Jiangzhou City had heard the story. All at once, everyone treated Miss Qin with extreme contempt. Some busybodies even composed mocking tales about her that were sung in the streets. When Qin Huaiyong finally learned of the rumors, he immediately sent men to suppress them, but thanks to Magistrate Qi’s covert obstruction, the effort was far from thorough.

By then, the news had already traveled far beyond the borders of Jiangzhou Prefecture…

The General’s mansion was thrown into chaos, with Qin Yuru crying, screaming, and threatening to end her own life, turning the household upside down.

By comparison, Qin Wanru found relative peace in the old lady’s courtyard, though her heart was far from tranquil. Her mind was not occupied by Qin Yuru’s troubles at all.

Sitting by the old lady’s bedside, her delicate brows knit together, she wondered—did she see correctly? Was it truly that person?

In her dream, she had only glimpsed him from afar, but his eyes seemed to crash right into hers, just as they had now.

But how could he be here? Given his status, shouldn’t he be confined in the distant capital at this time?

She certainly didn’t recall ever seeing him in her family’s mansion in her previous life…

“Miss, there’s a guard outside asking for you. But I’ve never seen him before,” Qingyue reported softly as she entered.

Wanru drew a deep breath, suppressing her shock, and raised her pale face. “Where is he?”

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“Right outside the door,” Qingyue replied.

“Let’s go see.” Wanru tucked the old lady’s blanket, stood up, and walked out.

Outside stood a guard—a young man of seventeen or eighteen, smiling amiably at the door. As Wanru approached, he stepped forward and said, “Second Miss Qin, our master invites you.”

“And who is your master?” Wanru asked, her fist trembling as she drew a deep breath.

“You’ll know when you meet him, Second Miss,” the guard replied, pointing to the right. “Our master is staying in the Orchid Fragrance Pavilion. There’s no need to be wary; General Ningyuan invited him to reside here. We only ask that you keep this matter confidential from others.”

With that, he stood patiently, making clear that refusal was not an option.

Polite as it seemed, his manner was forceful—and besides, they were inside her family’s mansion. Wanru could find no reasonable excuse to decline. She touched her injured arm and finally nodded.

The Orchid Fragrance Pavilion was next to Qin Yuru’s courtyard, tucked in the corner closest to the rear wall. It had long stood empty, rarely visited due to its secluded location, so no one noticed someone had moved in these past days.

Yet, living under the same roof, she had heard nothing—her father must have deliberately kept it from her.

But what did this person want with her? It had nothing to do with her.

Uneasy, she nonetheless followed the guard to the Orchid Fragrance Pavilion.

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After the guard went inside to announce her arrival, Wanru waited outside. Soon, the guard emerged again, bowing respectfully to invite her in—but rudely blocked Qingyue from entering.

“Miss…” Qingyue called anxiously from behind.

“Stay here,” Wanru said, taking a deep breath to steady herself. She turned back to reassure Qingyue before stepping inside.

On the chair in the center of the room sat a youth, no more than fourteen or fifteen. The first thing Wanru noticed were his slanted, upturned eyes—gleaming like shattered jade, exuding an aura both ethereal and devilish. His broad violet robe was embroidered at the cuffs with coiling dragons, his demeanor elegant yet seductive.

Below the violet jade crown, his three thousand strands of hair were tied up. Such beauty could steal one’s breath away, but Wanru, looking past his otherworldly allure, sensed danger lurking within.

His gaze was too sinister, yet his smile, when it appeared, was like a breeze in the moonlight.

His skin was pale, not only his face but even his lips, giving him a fragile, sickly beauty. That only made him seem more refined and handsome, with the air of a noble scholar from ancient Jin.

In her previous life, when she saw him, he was already grown—a young man—but even with those years’ difference, his stunning appearance was unmistakable.

This was Prince Chen, Chu Liuchen—once the Crown Prince.