Chapter 158: Another Poisonous Plot

**Chapter 158: Another Vicious Plot**

Shen Qiuyu had expected Prince Jing to praise her scheme, but instead he merely scoffed, “Ha! Kidnap A Yuan? Are you sure it’ll work?”

No wonder Prince Jing was skeptical. He had already been bested by A Yuan three times, each time more humiliatingly than the last. Now, hearing Shen Qiuyu’s plan to kidnap her, it made him nervous.

Shen Qiuyu’s face paled and then flushed red. “Xie Zheng is injured and can’t return to the capital. She has no one to rely on in the city. I know how to draw her out.”

“Oh?” Prince Jing raised his brow slightly, actually giving her his full attention this time.

“And if you fail?”

“I’ll kill myself to atone!”

Shen Qiuyu knelt on the ground, bowing her head to his feet, her eyes lowered and filled with hatred.

She blamed A Yuan for everything—Prince Jing was cruel, tormenting her relentlessly all the way to the imperial tombs. Not a single inch of her skin was untouched. For her future, A Yuan had to die.

Two months flew by in an instant. When Wei Xun left, it was still early summer; now the weather had turned cool.

......

A Yuan’s belly had grown even larger, and every time she went out, Nanny Zheng and several maids accompanied her.

“Miss Lin’s wedding has been set—it’s at the beginning of next month.”

Chun Tao came in from outside, setting down the pastries she bought beside A Yuan and passing along the news.

A Yuan paused her embroidery. “Is it the second son of the Qin family?”

She had known for some time that the Lin and Qin families were arranging a marriage.

“That’s right.”

Chun Tao sighed gloomily. “My lady, what about our general once Miss Lin marries?”

With the general’s whereabouts still unknown, and the woman he cares for about to wed, Chun Tao thought it terribly cruel for Xie Zheng.

A Yuan’s knuckles whitened as she gripped the needle. She knew it wasn’t Lin Qingshuang’s fault—her brother had never formally proposed, nor were they officially betrothed.

And with her brother still missing, A Yuan couldn’t possibly ask Lin Qingshuang to wait for him.

“If they’re destined for each other, nothing will keep them apart. But as things stand… perhaps they weren’t meant to be.”

“Oh…”

Chun Tao sighed softly. “Poor general. Buddha protect him, and bring him back safely!”

At the Lin residence, Second Madam Lin brought the wedding dress delivered by the embroidery shop for Lin Qingshuang to try on.

......

“This was made by Madam Qin from Su Embroidery Workshop—she worked on it for half a month. It’ll surely make you the most stunning bride at the wedding.”

To Second Madam Lin, her young sister-in-law was like a daughter, and watching her prepare for marriage left her feeling bittersweet.

Lin Qingshuang’s eyes reddened slightly as she took the dress and placed it aside. “I’ll try it on later.”

Her voice was thick, and Second Madam Lin noticed something was off, moving closer to her.

"Shuang’er, are you afraid of marrying?"

She had been the same before her own wedding. Though Lin Erlang was someone she loved, the thought of entering a stranger’s household still terrified her.

Second Sister-in-Lin gently patted her younger sister-in-law’s head. "Don’t be afraid. With your parents and all your brothers and sisters-in-law watching over you, Qin Erlang wouldn’t dare mistreat you."

Lin Qingshuang lowered her gaze, tears spilling unbidden. "Second sister-in-law, can I… not marry?"

She regretted it now. That man's fate remained uncertain, and she didn’t want to rush into marriage like this.

"Foolish child, the wedding date has already been fixed by both families. It’s not something you can simply call off. Even if our parents say nothing, how would it reflect on us—on you?"

"...I understand." At these words, the light in Lin Qingshuang’s eyes died completely.

After Second Sister-in-Lin left, Lin Qingshuang stood by the window for a long time.

She ignored the wedding dress and instead drew a small bundle from beneath the quilt.

Inside were two sets of men’s clothing and several hundred taels in silver certificates. She’d meant to go to the imperial tomb to find Xie Zheng.

But her sister-in-law was right—if she ran away from the wedding, what would people think of her? What would they think of the Lin family?

She was no longer a child; she couldn’t act on whim.

Tears fell again from Lin Qingshuang’s eyes. She roughly wiped them away with the back of her hand and whispered softly, "Xie Zheng, if only you hadn’t deceived me."

He didn’t have to love her—he could have remained indifferent. She would’ve loved him enough for them both.

But what she hated was his mockery. That firework-lit kiss—had it only been to shame her?

......

"Young Master, Second Madam Wei is here."

"Zhao Wan? What does she want?"

A Yuan’s first impulse was to refuse, her brow furrowing.

She wouldn’t call it mortal enmity between them, but she couldn’t face Zhao Wan calmly either.

Besides, she was pregnant now—the fewer who knew, the safer.

Chun Tao shook her head. "Second Madam Wei gave no reason, only demanded an audience."

"No."

A Yuan refused decisively. But within moments, Chun Tao returned, her expression dazed.

"Young Master, Old Madam Wei is dying. She hasn’t eaten for three days—her strength is clearly failing. Marquis Wei isn’t in the capital, and the old marquis is drilling troops in Jizhou. With no one else near, she called for the Young Master."

"Young Master, Second Madam Wei came to ask if A Man may visit her."

"So she’s truly dying..." A Yuan went very still.

She’d once both revered and feared Old Madam Wei. But after the woman ordered Chun Tao beaten, only hatred remained.

Her refusal to forgive Wei Xun traced back to his mother.

Yet now, she was told that Old Madam Wei was dying. A Yuan was left hollow.

"Young Master, shall the Young Master visit her?"

A Yuan was naturally unwilling and also couldn't bear to let A Man go to the marquisate alone.

It's often said that a dying person's words are kind, but Madam Wei was vicious to the core. She feared A Man might come to harm.

"No—"

Before A Yuan could finish speaking, the bedroom door swung open.

"A Yuan, I'm begging you as your sister-in-law—please go see Mother," Zhao Wan implored. "No matter what wrongs she committed before, she is still Third Brother's mother and A Man's grandmother. Do you want people to say A Man is unfilial when this gets out?"

Half a year had passed since they last met, and Zhao Wan looked far more worn. Her hairpin was unadorned, her clothes faded and old.

The once-proud Madam Wei now seemed like some deranged stranger.

A Yuan didn't have time to cover her belly before Zhao Wan caught sight of it.

The plea on Zhao Wan’s face had barely faded when shock replaced it.

"You... you're pregnant again? Whose child is this?"

A Yuan's expression instantly turned cold. She yanked the blanket over her stomach.

"That's none of your business."

"How could it not be my concern!"

Zhao Wan seemed oblivious to A Yuan's disdain. She stepped quickly forward, standing beside the bed and pressed on, "Is it Third Brother's?"

"Third Brother really is something else—he got you pregnant and still hasn’t married you. If I hadn’t come today, who knows how long I’d have gone without knowing."

"A Yuan, don’t be afraid. When I get back, I’ll tell Mother everything. If Third Brother won’t give you proper standing, she’ll do it for him."

With that, Zhao Wan rushed out, completely forgetting why she had come to the general’s mansion in the first place.

Chun Tao watched her retreating figure uneasily. "Madam, do you think she'll spread rumors about this?"

After all, an unmarried pregnancy was hardly respectable, and Zhao Wan had always had it out for her mistress.