Chapter 6 — The General's Path

Facing the interrogation Li Thai leveled at the entire House of the Duke of Succession, Shen Zhihan stammered, momentarily rendered speechless. Perhaps, deep down, he never truly wished to defend Shen Danxue. A secret, treacherous hope had even begun to stir within him: what if this marriage did not go through? A sharp, crystalline shattering sound tore through the air. The Princess of Southern Pacification could endure no more; she hurled her hot teacup violently toward Li Thai’s feet.

Li Thai, it was you who insisted on marrying Shen Danxue in the first place, she spat. What sort of performance are you putting on now?

Shards of porcelain sprayed across the floor, tea drenching the ground. A large portion of Li Thai’s robes was soaked through, yet he seemed oblivious to the jagged debris beneath him. He hitched up his robes and knelt, his back ramrod straight. Mother, if you insist that I must marry today, then let us change the bride. The woman I wish to marry is Ngoc Nung.

Absurd! A foster sister is still a sister; where is the logic in marrying one’s own sibling? Faced with the Princess’s fury, Li Thai did not retreat an inch.

And what if Ngoc Nung was never meant to be your foster daughter? he countered, his voice steady. Perhaps the thing the House of the Duke of Succession lost all those years ago was not merely a jade pendant. It was also the flesh and blood that should have been cradled in the palm of their hands.

At these words, the eyes of every guest in the great hall flickered, darting between my face and the Duchess’s. They look so much alike, someone murmured. Shen Danxue’s fingers, clenching the jade pendant, trembled, yet she bit her lip and refused to concede. The Heir is inventing such preposterous lies simply to annul our marriage. My mother only gave birth to one daughter; I have never had a twin sister. Furthermore, I have already performed the blood-affinity test with my father to prove my legitimacy. Can a mere resemblance prove anything? The world is vast; coincidences are common.

It seemed Li Thai had anticipated her obstinacy. He clapped his hands, and a servant hurried in, whispering into his ear. As he listened, the corner of Li Thai’s mouth curled into a knowing, cruel smirk. I have investigated thoroughly. A month ago, you sent your personal maid to the House of Returning Spring to purchase a package of alum. I was negligent before, failing to mention that the House of Returning Spring is an enterprise managed by the Southern Pacification estate. He glared at Shen Danxue, enunciating each word with chilling precision: Do I need to explain what alum is used for?

His gaze shifted to me, expectant, as if waiting for my approval or acknowledgment. I felt no joy—only a profound, marrow-deep chill. In the blink of an eye, he had turned his blade against another without a shred of mercy. The cold-blooded, calculating way he was crushing Shen Danxue was identical to how he had treated me in my previous life.

Shen Danxue’s face turned paper-white. The people of the Duke’s household, masters of shifting with the tide, fell into a stunned silence. They finally grasped the implication behind Li Thai’s words: he was determined to have me. The old Duke spoke slowly: If the Heir has such suspicions, why not invite Lady Ngoc Nung to perform a blood-affinity test with me to verify the truth?

Every eye in the hall pinned me to the spot. I stood motionless, a cold smile tugging at my lips. And what if I refuse? Have you all forgotten that I am the very same girl who came to your door to claim my heritage? The lowly village girl you branded a greedy impostor and chased away like a common thief? From that day on, I swore to myself: in this life, I would never step foot inside the House of the Duke of Succession again.

I did not miss the shock and tremor on everyone’s faces, including Li Thai’s. Your change of heart today is merely because the Southern Pacification estate now looks upon me with favor. You are all terrified of missing a chance to cling to power. Who the true sycophant is, you know better than I.

With the farce having reached such a point, the marriage could not continue. The Princess protected me, ushering the guests away. When night fell, she confined Li Thai to his quarters and sat with me in the private chamber. It was then I learned that during my time at the Temple of Sweet Dew, her secret guards had intercepted assassins multiple times. She had originally thought they were remnants of old court factions fearing her reforms, but now, she suspected those killers were sent by a panicked Shen Danxue to silence me. The Princess tilted her head, her voice filled with gentle concern: What are your plans for the future?

Seeing my bewilderment, she sighed. The Duke’s house is easy enough to handle, but you do not understand the depth of my unfilial son’s obsession. Regarding you... he is determined to possess you at any cost.

I had foolishly feared she meant the estate could no longer harbor me. A wave of familiar, stinging sorrow welled up—the dread of being discarded once again.