In the Imperial Study, everyone’s faces were grim, but Nangong Rong’s was the worst. Gone was the delicate glow of her once peach-blossom complexion; now she looked utterly pallid.
The only one unaffected was Tao Chuyi. She didn’t grasp the tension of the situation and knew nothing of fear.
All she understood was that those three villains wanted to bully Fairy Sister. So, like a little beast fiercely protective of its own, she bared her teeth at the enemies with a hint of menace.
Nangong Yunshang remained calm and composed, upholding the poise of a princess as she spoke slowly. “Since Royal Uncle insists on shielding his own daughter, don’t blame me for disregarding our blood ties. Bring them in!”
No sooner had the words left her mouth than the guards escorted two people into the Imperial Study. One was the Tower Madam from Colorful Fragrance Tower, and the other was the Accountant.
The Tower Madam dropped to her knees and kowtowed, not daring to raise her eyes. “This humble woman greets Your Majesty! This humble woman can testify—it was Rongrong County Princess who sent someone to negotiate with me. She didn’t just sell her maid Fendie; she split the profits with Colorful Fragrance Tower. And for any future slaves brought in, the tower would send extra silver to the County Princess Mansion.”
“I didn’t! You’re lying!”
Nangong Rong shouted at the Tower Madam, denying it vehemently.
At that moment, the Accountant tremblingly produced a ledger.
“This commoner kept two sets of books. This one is the secret ledger, just in case our partner denied the dealings.”
The chief eunuch presented the ledger to the Emperor, who gave it a quick glance before hurling it at Prince Ning’s head.
“What a fine daughter Your Royal Brother has raised!”
Prince Ning knelt alongside his daughter and son-in-law, weeping and pleading desperately.
“Your Majesty, spare us! Please spare my foolish daughter! She’s young and immature. This subject will discipline her properly upon our return and ensure she never errs again.”
The Emperor frowned in thought. “In that case, Rongrong is indeed hot-headed in her youth, and it’s only natural that she…”
Seeing the Emperor on the verge of relenting, Nangong Yunshang struck without mercy. “Father Emperor, human lives are at stake. If we forgive Nangong Rong today, tomorrow the sons of princes and noble daughters will run rampant with their crimes. The common people will suffer, and Your Majesty’s reputation will suffer as well. Father Emperor, is shaking the foundations of the state for Nangong Rong’s sake truly worth it?”
The Emperor eyed Nangong Yunshang, his gaze probing. After a long moment, he waved his hand. “Hand them over to Dali Temple for judgment.”
Nangong Yunshang bowed at once. “Father Emperor is wise!”
“Father Emperor is wise! Father Emperor is wise!”
Tao Chuyi parroted the phrase like a myna bird, over and over.
Fairy Sister was happy, so she was happy too.
As his daughter and son-in-law were dragged away by the guards, Prince Ning’s tears streamed down his aged cheeks. He wailed in despair, begging to follow them. But no one paid him any mind, so he slunk away in defeat.
Once everyone had left the Imperial Study, the Emperor kept Nangong Yunshang behind. Father and daughter faced each other like strangers who had never met.
In the silence, the Emperor spoke first. “Yunshang, Father Emperor hasn’t paid you much attention lately. You seem quite different from the daughter I remember.”
Nangong Yunshang inclined her head. “Father Emperor has never truly paid attention to this daughter. You’ve never really known what she’s like.”
Their eyes met like clashing swords, the air thick with danger.
“Father Emperor should rest. This daughter takes her leave.”
Nangong Yunshang bowed and left without looking back.
At the palace gates, a small figure crouched by the wall base, refusing to board the carriage.
“Prince Consort, Her Highness wants you to return to the mansion first,” Yinghong urged for the fourth time. She couldn’t help but sigh—whatever else could be said, the Prince Consort’s stubbornness matched the Princess perfectly.
Tao Chuyi suddenly sprang up, waving at the people emerging from the palace gates. “Your Highness the Princess!”
Nangong Yunshang paused for a moment. “Didn’t I tell you to send the Prince Consort back first?”
Yinghong looked troubled. “The Prince Consort refuses to leave and insists on waiting for Your Highness.”
Faced with the beaming Tao Chuyi, Nangong Yunshang shook her head. “I’m not good to you. I’m not a good person. From now on, you should put yourself first.”
Tao Chuyi heard the words but didn’t understand them. One thing she did grasp, though: Fairy Sister wasn’t a bad person.
“Your Highness the Princess is a good person.”
Nangong Yunshang froze again. She hadn’t expected this fool to keep surprising her like this.
“Get in the carriage. We’re going home.”
“Going home!”
Tao Chuyi skipped happily after her. The carriage turned around and headed straight for the Princess Mansion.
Three days later, the case was fully adjudicated. The Tower Madam, her younger brother, and her children all received death sentences. The accomplices were given prison terms of varying lengths. Thanks to the Tower Madam and the Accountant’s testimony, their lives were spared, though they were sentenced to lifelong imprisonment.
As for Rongrong County Princess and her County Consort, Prince Ning’s meddling spared them the death penalty. But while they escaped execution, punishment was inevitable. Their titles were stripped, they were demoted to commoners, and sentenced to three years in prison, followed by lifelong exile to the Barren North, forbidden from ever returning to the Capital City.
On the day of execution, crowds of Capital City residents gathered at the Caishikou Execution Ground to watch. Tao Siqing personally oversaw the beheadings.
Tao Chuyi tagged along for the spectacle, accompanying Nangong Yunshang. The two disguised themselves and blended into the throng of onlookers.
Before the executions began, the crowd hurled rotten eggs, spoiled vegetables, and even stones at the platform. But it did nothing to quench their fury.
Nangong Yunshang glanced back at Tao Chuyi. “Don’t be scared in a bit.”
“Mm! Not scared!”
Tao Chuyi promised solemnly. Her courage was mighty, after all.
“Execute!”
The placard fell. The executioners raised their broad knives high and spat wine onto the blades.
A cry rang out. The knives rose and fell, heads tumbled to the ground, and children in the crowd wailed in terror.
Tao Chuyi, by contrast, didn’t scream or cry. She remained utterly calm.
Nangong Yunshang averted her eyes from the blood-soaked platform. Seeing Tao Chuyi unmoved, she asked in surprise, “You really aren’t afraid?”
“Really not afraid.”
Not only was she unafraid—she stared intently at the severed heads, as if searching for something.
Once the executions ended, the executioners began cleaning the blood from the chopping block, and the onlookers gradually dispersed.
When hardly anyone remained, Tao Chuyi darted forward like a shot, straight to the pile of heads. Her shoes splashed into the pooling blood.
“Come back! What are you doing?”
Nangong Yunshang chased after her but halted near the heads.
“Yes, Chuyi, be good. It’s inauspicious—come back now.”
Tao Siqing had arrived too, along with the guards. They advanced to surround the blood pool, aiming to carry Tao Chuyi out by force.
“One person’s missing,” Tao Chuyi said, turning this way and that.
Nangong Yunshang frowned in confusion. “Who’s missing?”
Tao Chuyi stopped, her face aggrieved. “The person from the portrait.”
By now, Tao Siqing had edged closer. “The person from the portrait is dead. See? Right under your feet.”
While Tao Chuyi looked down, he and the guards lunged forward—but grasped only air.
Tao Chuyi squatted on the ground and prodded a nearby head with her finger. Her gaze fixed on a burst of skin along its cheek, and she yanked it off. The face instantly transformed into another.
Everyone present gasped in shock. Tao Siqing’s eyes bulged, frozen in place.
Nangong Yunshang had someone fetch the portrait for comparison. Only then did they realize this wasn’t the person in the portrait—only that face mask was.
