C18 Killing Intent Was Revealed

Upon realizing there was still a chance to turn things around, Mrs. Qian's face lit up with hope. She eagerly said, "Madam, please let me know if there's anything you need."

The Yongjing Marquis Madam, however, remained calm, leisurely taking a sip of tea from the table.

Mrs. Qian watched her intently, her eyes practically burning with anticipation. Seeing Mrs. Qian's eager expression, Waner nearly bit her lip in frustration.

The Yongjing Marquis Madam was known for her temper. If Waner were to marry into that family, especially to someone as lifeless as the marquis, she would gain nothing from the arrangement.

After a long pause, just as Mrs. Qian's patience was wearing thin, the Yongjing Marquis Madam finally spoke slowly, "Your daughter from the Cui family has brought disgrace to our entire household."

"This—" Mrs. Qian was momentarily at a loss for words.

The situation had indeed started because of Cui Waner, but they were trying their best to make amends now.

"However, there is a way to resolve this," the Madam continued, "but Cui Waner and the child she carries are absolutely not welcome in our household." Her words were blunt and left no room for negotiation.

Waner turned pale with anger, but her father had instructed her to behave well, and she couldn't afford to embarrass the Madam here.

Mrs. Qian was seething with anger at the smug look on the face of the Marquis's wife.

"The Marquis's estate has already sent the letter to call off the engagement. This marriage should be annulled. However, we still hope the Marquis can speak well of my husband in court," Mrs. Qian said cautiously, fearing any misstep that might provoke the Marquis's wife.

The Marquis's wife let out a derisive laugh, her voice dripping with superiority and pride. "The eldest daughter of the Cui family is gentle and virtuous, with impeccable character. If Zuoyu can take Waner's place and marry into the Marquis's estate, we can pretend the previous incidents never happened."

The atmosphere in the room turned as cold and chilling as the air outside. Although the Marquis's wife was indirectly insulting her character, the thought of Zuoyu replacing her to marry that living corpse sparked a flicker of hope in her heart.

Mrs. Qian, however, was hesitant. She also wanted Zuoyu to replace Waner in marrying into the Marquis's estate, but the Jingning Earl's family would likely never agree. And Zuoyu herself might not be easily convinced. Moreover, with the Shaang family backing Zuoyu, if Shaang Qingya found out about this, who knows what kind of uproar it might cause.

Reflecting on it, this situation seems almost like a fairy tale. Even if Zuoyu were to marry into the Marquis Mansion instead of Waner, there's no guarantee Waner would be accepted by the Earl Mansion.

Mrs. Qian hesitated, struggling to speak, "Madam, this seems a bit difficult. Zuoyu and Yaen Ting are in love; they probably wouldn't want this."

"That's not my concern. If Zuoyu can't marry into our family, then the Marquis Mansion and your family will be at odds!" the Marquis Madam said coldly, staring at Mrs. Qian.

Mrs. Qian felt a chill run down her spine at the look.

After seeing the Marquis Madam out, Mrs. Qian collapsed onto a chair, staring blankly at the door. This was what her husband wanted; the Marquis Mansion was no longer shutting them out. But their demands were unreasonably harsh.

Outside, snow began to fall again. Hidden among the plum trees, Zuoyu watched the water in her palm melt away. Wrapped in a fur-lined black coat, she still felt a chill standing on the icy surface of Bright Mirror Lake.

Zi Luo, standing behind her, took her hand, feeling the cold. She tightened her grip, worried, "Miss, please go rest at the inn. I'll wait here."

She smiled calmly, "It's nothing."

Snow fell without a trace, and the moonlight gently unfolded, mingling with the snow's glow. Dressed in black, Cui Zuoyu stood amidst the pristine white snow, like a shadow in the darkness.

Under the moonlight, Cui Waner hurried through the plum grove with her maid, moving stealthily. Her maid, Liuli, had eyes that were hard to discern in the dark, fixed intently on Cui Waner.

Cui Waner frowned and said, "Brother Yaen Ting sure knows how to pick a time. Meeting at dawn—has his fever broken?"

"The Noble Heir sent me to tell you, Miss, that he's just playing a risky game, a ploy," Liuli replied coldly.

"I knew it, Brother Yaen Ting would always have me in his heart." Whether it was nervous excitement or the cold around her, Cui Waner didn't notice the danger lurking nearby.

She navigated through the plum grove. The chill seemed to deepen as she stood alone in the center of Bright Mirror Lake, illuminated by the cool moonlight. She quickly turned back, but Liuli, who had been following her, was nowhere to be seen.

Startled, her expression shifted slightly. Just as she was about to leave, she heard a deliberate, chilling footstep behind her, frozen in place.

Her face instantly went rigid, eyes wide with tension as she looked at the man in black who had suddenly appeared behind her.

"Who are you?"

"The one who’s here to end you," Zuoyu replied coldly.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Waner let out a sharp cry, and the ice beneath her feet shattered instantly. She instinctively reached out, but her hands grasped only air. In a flash, she was submerged in the icy water. Her clothes, now soaked, became unbearably heavy, and she choked on mouthfuls of water, her face turning a deep shade of red from the cold.

"Help—" she sputtered, breaking the surface for a moment before being pulled back under.

Zuoyu watched her struggle with detached indifference. This was a hole carved by fishermen, far from the nearest inn. Even if she screamed for help, no one would hear her.

In a daze, she recalled the words whispered in her ear: "Sister, you weren’t born infertile. The doctor Mother hired was in on it. The real sterilizing potion was in the tea I offered you during the concubine ceremony..."

The moonlight cast a pale glow on her nearly colorless face as Zuoyu looked on with cold eyes. Suddenly, fragments of red plum blossoms fell, carried by a fierce wind, and Waner was yanked from the icy water like a drenched, helpless creature.

The man was tossed directly onto the ice, unconscious. Cui Zuoyu calmly observed the man before her. He was strikingly handsome, with sharp eyebrows and an air of aloofness. His eyes, gentle as moonlit water, contrasted with his tightly pressed lips.

She smiled slightly, her piercing gaze sweeping over Waner on the ground, and coldly remarked, "The Crown Prince seems to be meddling a bit too much."

Her voice, usually crisp, now carried a chilling undertone.

Pei Xuanling stared at the figure in black before him. The person was slender and petite, with only a pair of eyes visible, eyes that were as indifferent as the morning dew in spring. It was a woman.

To commit murder in the Plum Leaning Forest at night and then confront those who discovered her without fleeing showed extraordinary courage. What kind of hatred drove her to watch Waner drown?

Pei Xuanling smirked, "How did you know I am the Crown Prince?"

The royal family of the Great Jing rarely showed themselves, and aside from the noble families, few had ever seen their true faces.