Chapter 115: Prince Qin's Fragrant Realm Seeks to Kill Yixiao, Linglong Angrily Breaks His Arm

These words reached the ears of Dowager Princess Qinwang Xiangyu.

She set down her wooden fish percussion block and asked Xiahe, "Did you hear someone saying something?"

"No?" Xiahe had actually heard it, but she had no desire to inform Qinwang Xiangyu.

Qinwang Xiangyu strained to listen for a moment, then said sharply, "Something has happened! Something must have happened!"

"Old Madam, please don't be like this. The master has forbidden you to step outside. You cannot go out!" Xiahe tried earnestly to persuade her.

Yet Qinwang Xiangyu pressed straight on toward the doorway. The closer she got to the entrance, the more clearly she could hear Anya's cries.

"Old Madam, I beg you, come out and save my princess! My princess has suffered a miscarriage!"

Hearing Anya's words, Qinwang Xiangyu shrieked like one gone mad, "Is my grandson dead?"

"Old Madam, you cannot go out!" The gatekeeper blocked her path.

But now, no one could hold her back. She shoved the gatekeeper aside and hissed viciously, "If any of you dare to stop me, I will kill myself right here to show you!"

The crowd dared not obstruct her further and could only watch as Qinwang Xiangyu ran out.

When Qinwang Xiangyu rushed into Naxier's bedchamber, Naxier had already delivered the stillborn infant.

Seeing the midwife wrapping the child, Qinwang Xiangyu dashed forward, snatched the baby into her arms, and cried out frantically, "Is it a grandson? Is it a grandson?"

Indeed, it was a plump baby boy, but his skin was a bruised cyan-purple, utterly devoid of any warmth.

Ahhh!

Qinwang Xiangyu screamed in frantic despair. She demanded of the physician in a harsh voice, "A child of this gestational age should be able to survive! Why didn't this baby live? Why?"

"Old Madam, this child was poisoned; it had already died within the mother's womb," the physician replied.

Qinwang Xiangyu staggered backward two steps. The midwife took the baby back from her arms and gently placed it inside a basket.

Qinwang Xiangyu asked with an icy voice, "Who has been in contact with the Princess these past few days?"

"The Princess hasn't gone out at all these past few days. The other day, she went to visit the First Madam. The First Madam remarked that the snowy roads were slippery and told the Princess to take good care of herself and protect this chil... Could it be the First Madam? Oh, heavens!" Anya put on an expression of utter disbelief.

Very well, it was Feng Linglong once again!

Qinwang Xiangyu strode blindly out of the room straight toward the front courtyard. Encountering a patrolling guard, she snatched a sword from his belt and raced toward the Linglong Pavilion.

"It's over, it's over, something terrible has happened! The Old Madam is going to fight the First Madam to the death. Quick, inform the master and tell him to return at once!" someone clever exclaimed.

Disheveled and brandishing the broadsword, Qinwang Xiangyu stormed into the Linglong Pavilion. The moment she crossed the threshold, she slashed downward without even looking. The person standing directly beneath her blade turned out to be Feng Yixiao. Seeing Qinwang Xiangyu attacking like a madwoman, Linglong hurriedly swept Feng Yixiao into her arms and rolled across the ground, narrowly dodging the blow.

"Have you lost your mind?" After settling Feng Yixiao safely aside, Linglong angrily seized Qinwang Xiangyu's arm and twisted it backward, snapping her wrist while simultaneously sending her weapon clattering to the floor.

"Help! Feng Linglong is trying to murder your Old Madam! Are you all going to stand by and watch?" Qinwang Xiangyu shrieked.

Linglong looked down at the old woman with a cold, detached chuckle, "You should consider yourself fortunate that I have no wish to kill you!"

"You vicious, scorpion-hearted woman! You are the one who killed my grandson! You killed my grandson, and I will have your life in exchange!" Unable to best Linglong in combat, Qinwang Xiangyu lunged forward to headbutt her, her frantic frenzy revealing a truly desperate resolve.

Just as the two women were grappling, the very first thing Naxier did upon waking was instruct Anya to prepare a carriage. She boarded the carriage and set out.

The Imperial Palace.

Dragging a trail of blood across the ground, Naxier knelt and pleaded, "I beg Your Majesty to grant justice to Naxier! Feng Linglong, the First Madam of Xiaoyao Manor, grew jealous that I was carrying a son for Qin Daofei and used poison to murder my child. I implore Your Majesty to uphold justice for me!"

"Feng Linglong?" The emperor stepped out, asking indifferently, "Is she the Feng Linglong whom Cheng Xiang holds dear?"

"Yes, it is her! She killed my child. For the sake of amity between our two nations, I beg Your Majesty to punish this woman!" Naxier kowtowed against the stone floor.

The emperor narrowed his eyes as he looked at Naxier, then said with a faint smile, "Qin Daofei... you truly are a remarkable piece of work!"

He glanced at his attendant and ordered coldly, "Men, go and arrest Feng Linglong. If she offers any resistance, execute her on the spot!"

A grand procession of imperial guards marched out menacingly to make the arrest. Dragging her frail and battered body, Naxier returned toward Xiaoyao Manor in the company of Anya.

Watching the murderous imperial guards charging out from the palace, she smiled a cruel, deeply gratifying smile.

Xiaoyao Manor.

The imperial guards surrounded Xiaoyao Manor like an iron barrel. Upon seeing this, the gatekeeper hurried inside to report, but unluckily, neither Qin Daofei nor Jifeng was at home. The only person left with any authority was Steward Zhang.

"Respected officers, our Xiaoyao Manor has always abided by the law. Surely acting in this manner is improper?" Steward Zhang asked with a bow.

The general leading the arrest sat high in his saddle and stated coldly, "Feng Linglong poisoned Princess Naxier's unborn child, undermining the neighborly peace between Hanshi and Cangmo. Princess Naxier has already reported this to the imperial court. His Majesty is merciful and refuses to hold the entire Xiaoyao Manor accountable, demanding punishment only for Feng Linglong's individual transgression. Bring Feng Linglong out to us at once."

"This... I shall go and invite the Old Madam!" Steward Zhang bowed and retreated toward the Linglong Pavilion.

Meanwhile, inside the Linglong Pavilion, Qinwang Xiangyu sat upon the floor throwing a tantrum, clutching her broken wrist. Her sharp and vicious demeanor frightened little Feng Yixiao. Having been pushed past her limits by Qinwang Xiangyu's increasingly outrageous behavior, Linglong felt not a shred of sympathy left. She crossed her arms and stared coldly down at the old woman.

Steward Zhang entered and, noticing Qinwang Xiangyu's unnatural, hanging wrist, a flash of shrewd calculation crossed his eyes. He stepped closer to her and whispered in a low voice, "Old Madam, people from the imperial palace have arrived. They claim that Princess Naxier has accused the First Madam of poisoning her child. His Majesty is furious and demands that Xiaoyao Manor hand over the First Madam. What do you think we should..."

Hmph!

Qinwang Xiangyu shot Linglong a glare filled with venomous resentment. "Then let them take Feng Linglong away!"

This...

"If the Master finds out, what shall we do?" Steward Zhang dared not touch Qin Daofei's reverse scale.

Qinwang Xiangyu snapped viciously, "What are you afraid of him knowing? He is not in Xiaoyao Manor right now, and I am the master of this household! Have someone seize Feng Linglong and deliver her to the imperial officers!"

"Understood!" Steward Zhang replied, then hurried to the front courtyard to summon a crowd of thugs.

Qinwang Xiangyu said with an icy, malevolent tone, "Seize Feng Linglong for me!"

The thugs did not move.

"Did you not hear me? Capture Feng Linglong!" Qinwang Xiangyu shrieked. "If you do not take her and hand her over to the imperial guards outside, Xiaoyao Manor will be washed in blood today. Under such a bloodbath, do you truly think you can save yourselves?"

Instigated by Qinwang Xiangyu, some men finally stepped forward to move against Linglong.

Holding Feng Yixiao in her arms, Linglong found it inconvenient to fight back and could only retreat. Yet her attackers showed no mercy, refusing to halt their assault despite the infant in her arms.

"Do you take me for a dead man?" Aifei drew her sword and soared down from the rafters.

Linglong shoved Feng Yixiao into Aifei's arms and whispered urgently, "Aifei, take Yixiao and go find Qin Daofei. Quickly!"

"What are you intending to do?" Aifei narrowed her eyes at her.

Linglong replied with a serene, haunting calm, "Can't you see? The Emperor wants to use any pretext available to target Qin Daofei, and this is a golden opportunity. If I do not go with them, the Emperor will inevitably accuse Xiaoyao Manor of armed resistance. I will go with the Emperor first; you must find Qin Daofei and have him come rescue me swiftly."

"You are walking into a den of death if you go!" Aifei disagreed with her move.

Linglong offered a desolate smile. "Aifei, people like us who have endured countless hardships only need the tiniest speck of sweetness to feel fulfilled. As long as Qin Daofei treats me with even a fraction of kindness, I will gladly accept whatever follows. Once I leave, the imperial guards should withdraw. By then, no one will be able to stop you from leaving Xiaoyao Manor. Go find Qin Daofei quickly, and once you find him, do not forget to return to 'protect' Princess Naxier."

"You had better not die in that place!" Aifei said before vanishing into the rafters, holding Feng Yixiao tight.

When the thugs attempted to press forward, Linglong spoke in a chilling voice, "The Emperor wants me. Do you really intend to lay hands on the eldest young lady of your own Xiaoyao Manor?"

She laid down her weapon and walked out. Glancing coldly and serenely back at Qinwang Xiangyu, she stated, "In the past, no matter how you plotted against me or treated me, I endured it all for Qin Daofei's sake. But after today, you can blame no one but yourself. If I do not die in the heavenly prison, the day I return shall be the day you descend into hell."

"You—you—do you truly think you can ever walk out of there?" Qinwang Xiangyu stepped back two paces.

Linglong smiled faintly. "Who knows?"

Linglong departed. She walked out with unyielding resolve and total composure.

Qinwang Xiangyu stared icily at her retreating figure, a blaze of intense hatred flickering in her eyes.

Clutching her maimed arm, she hurried back to the Pine and Cypress Residence.

The moment Linglong stepped outside, the general of the imperial guards personally dismounted to take her into custody. They escorted her away at a brisk pace, as if deeply fearful that the people of Xiaoyao Manor might give chase.

Pine and Cypress Residence.

"Xiahe, go inform Magistrate Wang that Feng Linglong has been arrested by the palace. Find out where she is being imprisoned, and have her killed. This time, no matter the cost, she must be eliminated," Qinwang Xiangyu ordered frostily.

Xiahe looked at her indifferently. "Old Madam, by doing this, are you not afraid that once the master returns, he will banish you from Xiaoyao Manor?"

"Sooner or later, he will understand what I have sacrificed for him! That vixen Feng Linglong has completely bewitched Daofei. If she does not die, Daofei's entire life will be ruined!" Qinwang Xiangyu declared with chilling conviction.

Xiahe took a step back and said flatly, "Old Madam, forgive me, but I am unable to deliver such a message for you. Shall I go fetch a physician for your arm instead?"

"Have you grown tired of living?" Qinwang Xiangyu shrieked in a fury.

Hah!

Xiahe gave a cold laugh. "The master will be returning shortly. Before you manage to kill me, perhaps you should consider how you will save your own skin first."

With those words, Xiahe turned and walked out.

Clutching her injured arm, Qinwang Xiangyu finally collapsed to the floor, unable to bear the agony any longer. She muttered bitterly, "You ungrateful, treacherous wretch! Once I have someone set my arm straight, I will settle this score with you!"

Yet, after leaving the Pine and Cypress Residence, Xiahe never crossed that threshold again.