Chapter 122
Chapter 122: Shamelessness Runs in the Blood
Mo Zhao Zhao was speechless. She still had more to say, yet her royal brother was already trying to send her away—truly far too much. Pouting, she felt a deep wave of dissatisfaction. She was about to argue back, but then it occurred to her that Mo Yuan Hao had not spent time alone with Yun Wan Yao for quite a while. Swallowing the words on the tip of her tongue, she said instead with feigned ease, “A’Yao, since Royal Brother has something to tell you in private, I’ll take my leave and visit you another day.”
After all, she was free most days. If she wanted to talk to A’Yao, she could do so anytime. There was no need to delay Royal Brother from fostering his relationship with her.
“All right, then Princess, please be extra careful on your way back,” Yun Wan Yao reminded her with concern, thinking of the princess’s previous assassination attempt and her own troubles just yesterday. Ever since Su Qian Xue from the Otherworld had appeared, neither she nor the princess had known peace. Especially she herself—clearly, she had become Su Qian Xue’s thorn in the eye and a nail in the flesh. Who knew what would happen next?
“Don’t worry, A’Yao. I’ve brought many, many guards with me today.” Mo Zhao Zhao gave a smug little smile. Aside from the guards, she had brought a signal flare. Should anyone dare attack her as before, she would send it up at once, and the imperial city’s guards would rush to her aid.
Leaving Yun Wan Yao’s courtyard, she spotted Yun Wan Ye hurrying nearby. She had no wish to acknowledge him, but his hearing was too sharp. At the sound of movement, he turned, saw her, and walked over. Looking down at her, he asked, “Is the princess leaving already?”
She snorted. “And if I am?”
Just the sight of him filled her with irritation, making polite conversation impossible. He, however, showed not the least offense. “Very well, then allow this subject to escort Your Highness back to the palace.”
“No need…” She refused without thinking, then paused, eyes narrowing as she noticed that his hair, clothes, and shoes were quite different from when she had seen him leave Yun Wan Yao’s room earlier. She gave him a slow once-over before declaring with open disdain, “Where are you going, dressed so poorly and looking so shabby?”
The style and fabric of his garments were worse than what the servants in her residence wore, which a pampered princess like her found utterly unacceptable.
Yun Wan Ye was speechless. This foolish princess only liked things that were pleasing to the eye—whether clothes, jewelry, or people. He had been on his way to quickly change out of this plain outfit, but who would have thought he’d run into her leaving so soon? He simply hadn’t had time to change. What could he do?
“It’s true the clothes are plain, but hardly ugly, right? This face of mine makes anything look good.”
“Shameless.” She swallowed down the urge to spit at him, muttered the insult under her breath, and swept past him toward the gates, chin high and posture proud.
Yun Wan Ye hurried after her. Fine—if she didn’t want him to escort her openly, then he would follow in secret. He had to see her safely home before he could rest easy.
“Yao’er, what happened yesterday? How could such a thing befall you without warning?”
Once Mo Zhao Zhao had left, Mo Yuan Hao sat at the bedside, keeping watch over Yun Wan Yao. All he knew was that she had been badly injured and unconscious; the details were a mystery.
“I’m not too sure myself…” She shook her head and recounted what she knew. “I was just sitting in the carriage when it suddenly lost control. The coachman and guards were nowhere to be seen. I hit my head and blacked out. The last thing I saw was Big Brother Pei…”
When she finished, Mo Yuan Hao lowered his gaze, brows furrowing tightly. “In that case, this was likely done by human hands.”
Yun Wan Yao nodded in agreement. “I think so too. But I haven’t offended anyone lately, so who would wish me harm?”
“Perhaps the target was not you, but some other aim entirely.”
She blinked, feigning puzzlement. “Another aim? What aim could that be?”
He gave a cold little laugh. “What if someone wished to stage a hero rescuing a beauty?”
The thought of arriving to find that Pei fellow already in her room this morning filled him with fury. That man knew full well she was betrothed to him, yet still coveted her—snatching her right from under his nose. Truly courting death.
“Does the prince mean that Big Brother Pei arranged this?” she asked in a startled voice, making herself look as if she could hardly believe it.
But each time she addressed him as “Big Brother Pei,” Mo Yuan Hao’s anger flared hotter. He was her fiancé, her childhood companion, yet she always called him “Prince,” or at most “Yuan Hao” in private. That damned man, however, she addressed with such easy intimacy. Was he her elder brother now? And what about Yun Wan Chen?
Jealousy threatened to drown him. He kept his face grim, his tone sharp. “I never said that—you said it yourself.”
[You didn’t say it outright, but isn’t that exactly what you meant?] she thought. He knew Pei Yu had saved her, yet still suggested someone might have set up a rescue. The implication was obvious.
So she shut her mouth, not bothering to argue further. In truth, her attitude toward him had shifted greatly. She no longer regarded him as her future husband and had no interest in sparing his feelings. If anything, she wished he would tire of her soon, find some way to break their betrothal, and kick her aside.
Better a short pain than a long one. She would rather suffer for a few days than be kept dangling in constant anxiety.
“Why so quiet? Do you think I’ve wronged your Big Brother Pei?”
Her silence only stoked his temper, his fists clenching tight, a dangerous light in his eyes.
She met his gaze without fear. This was the Duke of Ning’s residence—he would never dare strike her here. Of course, if he did lose control and hit her, so much the better. A few slaps or punches would give her the perfect excuse to break the engagement. She could even take to her bed for a while to make the point.
“The prince is mistaken. I never said that. I only think that, without proof, it’s better not to make careless accusations, lest we wrong a good man.” She paused, then added lazily, “Of course, in truth I do agree with the prince’s suspicion.”
Her offhand manner made him blink in surprise, some strange, unnamable feeling stirring in his heart. Just a few days apart, and she seemed… different. The expression she wore now was one she had never shown him before. Why?
Only last time they met, she had been all smiles, showing off the pair of gold armlets she’d just received.
[Heh, the male lead’s expression is priceless. Is he realizing that my sister has changed? Of course she has—rebirth changes everything.]
[And her attitude toward him just now—perfect! I hope she keeps it up. I thought she was still a lovesick fool for him, but I must have been mistaken.]
[Her reaction to his “hero rescues beauty” comment was odd, though. This accident wasn’t in the original plot, meaning she never experienced it in her past life. Did she suspect Pei Yu?]
[Maybe she’s not the vengeful type of reborn heroine after all. Maybe she just wants to use her past life’s memories to avoid disasters and live quietly.]
Yun Wan Yao’s eyes widened slightly at the sudden intrusion of her little sister’s heart voice. Wait—how was her spiritual power still in this room? Mother had taken her away, but her power had stayed behind to eavesdrop? That aside—what was this about being a “lovesick fool”?
She had no idea what it meant, but it certainly didn’t sound flattering.
[Whatever the truth, I’ll uncover it one day. But for now, I’m too tired—sleep time.]
Yun Wan Ning’s spiritual power withdrew. In her bed, she yawned twice and drifted off, leaving Madam Yun envious of how quickly she fell asleep.
On the other side of the room, Mo Yuan Hao finally spoke again after a long silence. “Yao’er, you’ve changed.”
She tilted her head, feigning innocence. “Have I? How so, Prince? Have I become more beautiful?”
Being twins with Yun Wan Ye meant some shameless traits ran in the blood. Hers, however, she kept carefully hidden most of the time, presenting herself as the perfect duke’s daughter who would never bring shame to her parents.
He gave a soft sigh. “Yes… Yao’er has grown even more beautiful.”
She smiled faintly, not taking the words to heart. She knew he meant something else entirely—but so what? She had no interest in deciphering him.
“You want proof, Yao’er? Very well. I’ll find it and place it in your hands myself.” His voice was cold with resolve. No one would lay a hand on what was his—not without paying the price.
“I’ll take my leave now. Rest well.”
Without waiting for her reply, he strode out. She watched him go without a word.
If he wanted to investigate, all the better for her. She had been hoping to use his hand against Pei Yu, which was why she had gone to Prince Qi’s manor to plant seeds of discord in the first place. She had thought it would take much longer, with more tricks and even some outright slander, but Pei Yu had delivered the perfect opportunity himself.
For a man like Mo Yuan Hao—possessive, domineering, and still holding some fondness for his betrothed—this was a direct challenge. Someone dared harm her? It was a slap to his face. He would not let it pass.
Evidence was secondary. For a man like him, belief was enough.
Leaving the Duke of Ning’s estate, Mo Yuan Hao summoned Ting Feng and Chi Yun, ordering them to investigate the incident.
Meanwhile, the coachman and two guards who had accompanied Yun Wan Yao yesterday had been found and brought back by Yun Zheng’s men.
The coachman had suffered a blow to the head but was not badly hurt. When found in an alley, he had already regained consciousness but sat dazed for a long while. Remembering how he had fallen from the carriage, he turned pale with fright—especially thinking of the noble young lady inside, the future Princess Consort Qi.
The two guards, likewise, had been ambushed and knocked unconscious before being dumped in an abandoned courtyard.