Not interested in a single flower? That kind of fury says otherwise. Let's see how long you can keep pretending.
The guests followed the typical banquet routine—watching performances, chatting, and preparing for lunch. The maidservants began to file in, carefully serving dishes. Then suddenly—splash! One clumsy maid managed to spill soup all over Meng Wenyao's clothes.
Ah. Here comes the drama. So familiar, it's practically nostalgic.
Meng Wenyao stood up and followed a servant from the Wei household to a side room to change. Before entering, she whispered to Ruyi, "Ruxin said Prince An will be coming by later. Go pluck a flower—I'll give it to him as a return gift."
The Wei servant, acting like she was afraid Meng Wenyao might bolt, practically shoved her through the door. Inside, there was a faint, sweet aroma. Fortunately, Meng Wenyao had taken a poison-immunity pill earlier—whether it was a knockout drug or aphrodisiac, she wasn't worried.
She turned with a smile toward the servant and said gently, "My maid went to get my clothes. I'm afraid she might get lost. Could you help bring her here?"
The maid hesitated, looking like she wanted to say something, but eventually nodded. "Don't wander off while I'm gone," she warned.
Meng Wenyao smiled innocently. "I'm soaked. Where could I possibly go like this?"
The second the maid left, Meng Wenyao slipped out after her. What, like she was going to sit around and wait to be framed?
She rounded a corner and stopped, waiting quietly. Sure enough, Ruxin soon arrived—dragging along Meng Wenxian.
"She's just up ahead," Ruxin said loudly on purpose. "Ruxin said Prince An will be coming to this very room to meet the eldest young miss."
The second Meng Wenxian heard that, her brain stopped working. All she could think about was how to stop her older sister from being alone with Prince An. She charged into the room without hesitation.
Perfect. Meng Wenyao turned on her heel, satisfied. Now to find Ruyi, change clothes, and come back just in time to enjoy the fallout.
As she passed a rock garden, she overheard two servant girls whispering.
"Was that really the Emperor?""Definitely. I've seen him before when I accompanied my mistress into the palace."
"Then why didn't the Noble Consort come with him?""No idea."
Once they were out of sight, Meng Wenyao crept closer and spotted a man fishing in the shadows by the water.
The Emperor—who never even visits the inner palace—was here? At the Wei estate? Well now… fate had a sense of humor.
Meng Wenyao slowly walked toward the water, feigning a dazed, hopeless expression. Then, without breaking stride, she walked right into the pond.
"Miss, stop! Don't go any further!"
A high-pitched voice called out, but she didn't respond. She kept walking—water rising past her ankles, her calves, her knees—until someone yanked her back.
"Miss, stop right there."
A deep, steady voice. She slowly turned, a single teardrop sliding down her cheek.
"Don't save me," she whispered. "Saving me would only ruin me further."
The man who held her had sharp brows and piercing eyes. His features were striking, his concern genuine.
Too handsome. Damn it. He was messing with her performance.
Determined, she turned again, trying to walk deeper into the water, but the man swept her up and carried her back to shore.
"Why would you try to end your life?" he asked, holding her tightly.
The strength of his embrace, the firmness of his body—it made her dizzy.
Red-eyed and trembling, Meng Wenyao lifted her head with a tragic smile. "My stepmother hates me. I'm in my sister's way. Isn't that reason enough to die?"
"Where's your father?"
"He's been stationed at the northern border for years. I haven't seen him in a long time."
Her voice quivered with helplessness. Then, as if overwhelmed by despair, she tried to break free again.
The man held her tightly. Her beauty and fragility pierced him unexpectedly.
He hadn't imagined the Meng family's eldest daughter would be like this—neither vulgar nor foolish, but heartbreakingly lovely.
He wanted to comfort her. He looked down at her shaking form nestled against him, her soft sobs brushing against his chest… and suddenly, something stirred within him.
Wait. Was that… desire?
Meng Wenyao felt his silence stretching on. This whole "accidental embrace" thing was getting a bit too real. She shifted, trying to pull away.
"Thank you for saving me, kind sir. May I ask your name? If fate allows, I'd like to repay you someday."
Instead of letting her go, the man only tightened his hold.
"How would you repay me? By offering yourself in marriage?"
She looked up, startled. That teasing tone—was this really the Emperor? The man who hadn't touched his harem in years?
Nope. She was out. She yanked herself free and bolted like a startled rabbit.
The man watched his empty arms and chuckled. "Did I scare her off?"
Little Dezi cautiously stepped forward. "Shall I find out who she is, Your Majesty?"
"There's a stepmother, a younger sister, and a father stationed at the border. Who else could it be?"
Dezi noticed the rare smile on the Emperor's face and couldn't resist saying, "Ah, such fate! A classic case of a hero rescuing a beauty! If the young miss was already dreaming of Your Majesty, and now you've saved her… it must be the heavens arranging this match!"
The Emperor had only come today to catch a glimpse of the Meng family's eldest daughter. He wanted to see for himself if a general's daughter could be worthy of entering the palace.
Turns out, not only was she beautiful, but fate had practically shoved them together. The Emperor was already imagining what it would be like when she officially entered the palace.
Meanwhile, Meng Wenyao ran until she found Ruyi. In a quiet side room, she changed her clothes. The two of them then headed toward the room where Meng Wenxian had been left.
From a distance, they saw a crowd gathering.
Ruyi slipped closer and asked around. One maid whispered, "Meng family's young miss was changing inside. Wei Quan—the Wei family's heir—accidentally went in. Now Lady Liu is demanding justice."
Pushing through the crowd, Meng Wenyao saw the door to the room firmly shut. Lady Liu and Lady Wei were standing in front, having a dramatic back-and-forth.
Lady Liu, fake-crying as usual, dabbed at her eyes. "My poor daughter. She lost her mother young, and now this? Her reputation is ruined. How am I supposed to explain this to the general?"
She hadn't even checked who was in the room—just assumed it was Meng Wenyao and started throwing mud.
Lady Wei stood next to her, putting on a show of regret. "Lady Liu, please calm down. This was clearly an accident. With so many guests and so much wine… these things happen. But now that it's happened, the Wei family will take responsibility. Wei Quan already has a wife, so your daughter would have to settle for being a concubine."
And there it was. The setup in full bloom.
But Lady Liu was in for a rude awakening. The girl inside wasn't Meng Wenyao. And when that door opened… the real scandal would start.