Unveiling Secrets I
A Li held Feng Yao's hand, feeling how cold it was. She was about to take out a hand warmer when Feng Yao called her, "A Li."
Feng Yao patted the seat beside her, signaling A Li to sit down. A Li nodded and sat next to her.
"A Li, my father suspects that I am not his daughter."
A Li was stunned by Feng Yao's words. "Your Highness, where did you hear that? That's nonsense. His Majesty is only venting his anger on Your Highness because His Majesty knows your mother never loved him."
Feng Yao gazed into A Li's eyes, as if searching for an answer. A Li felt sorry for Feng Yao, who had lost her mother at a young age. Her father abandoned her, leaving her to struggle alone in the palace's political schemes. All of this had turned a once lovely and sweet princess into someone cold and ruthless.
A Li gently held Feng Yao's hand. "Noble Consort Lan was a good mother and wife. Your Highness, never doubt your mother."
A Li had grown up with Feng Yao. Ever since she lost her mother, A Li had stayed by her side, protecting and supporting her. Her shoulder had always been there for the Princess to lean on. She only wished that one day, Feng Yao would find happiness.
Seeing the Eldest Princess in such a vulnerable state, A Li sighed and began telling her a story.
Once, there was a beautiful and kind-hearted woman, the daughter of a low-ranking official. Many men admired her and asked for her hand in marriage, but she turned them all down.
One day, she fell in love with her own maid—a forbidden love. Bound by strict etiquette and moral expectations, she knew their love could never have a happy ending. Even though she knew they had no future, they still promised to stay together.
However, fate was cruel.
She caught the attention of a tyrannical crown prince, a man who became obsessed with her and was willing to do anything to make her his. Using his power, he shattered her innocence, leaving her with no way to escape.
With no other choice, she was forced to marry the crown prince after becoming pregnant—burying forever the love she had once hoped to protect.
After hearing A Li's story, Feng Yao fell silent. Then, she asked, "The beautiful woman was my mother, and the maid was your aunt, wasn't she?"
A Li nodded slowly, her eyes filled with both warmth and sorrow. "The one your mother loved was a loyal woman, and in the end, she chose to end her life to follow your mother."
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Lang Huan lay unconscious at the bottom of the cliff. Even after a long time, she had yet to regain consciousness.
In her dreams, she was riding a giant white wolf, charging across the battlefield like a fearless warrior. With her sword in hand, she danced through the fight, cutting down enemies rushing toward her.
Suddenly, arrows rained from the sky, their sharp tips glinting as they flew straight for her chest. Just as they were about to pierce her, she jolted awake.
Her eyes fluttered open to a vast blue sky and the distant cries of birds echoed through the air.
With great effort, Lang Huan struggled to sit up. Pain surged through her entire body, but her mind was haunted by thoughts of Wang Hu, Zhou Xun, and the rest of her brothers.
The tragedy like a living nightmare—one she wished had never happened. If she had a choice, she would rather never wake up.
Tears streamed down her face. Maybe they were all dead because of her. She blamed herself, feeling utterly weak and useless.
Suddenly, a pained groan broke through the silence. Lang Huan turned her head and saw a woman caught in the branches of a tree, her face pale with agony. This woman… was the one who had saved her!
Lang Huan wiped away her tears and rushed to help the woman. With great effort, she carefully lifted her down from the tree, making sure not to worsen her injuries.
The woman lay on the ground, staring blankly at Lang Huan. Panic surged through her—if she didn't act fast, the woman might not survive!
Lang Huan quickly scanned her surroundings, but there was nowhere to go. They were completely surrounded by the sea.
Then, Lang Huan suddenly remembered—the wound medicine! She had brought a vial of blood-stopping medicine as part of her preparations for the mission. Reaching into her clothes, she searched for it.
With gentle hands, Lang Huan carefully loosened the woman's clothing. However, the fabric had stuck to her wounds, and the injuries looked severe. As soon as Lang Huan tried to pull it away, the sharp pain was too much—the woman let out a faint gasp before falling unconscious.
With trembling hands, Lang Huan carefully applied the medicine to the woman's wounds. Tears fell to her wound —everyone was hurt because of her.
As she treated the wounds, her eyes suddenly caught something on the woman's back—a small rose tattoo. This tattoo… it was exactly like the rose painting in the Princess's mansion. This woman was one of Feng Yao's people.
If she had listened to Feng Yao…none of this would have happened. Guilt weighed heavily on her heart.
The sun was setting, and they couldn't stay out in the open for too long. Lang Huan quickly got up and searched the area, hoping to find shelter. It wasn't long before she discovered a large cave.
Without hesitation, she returned and carried the unconscious woman inside.
The cave was vast, extended deep into darkness. A winding spiral staircase led further down into the unknown. Lang Huan swallowed nervously. The deeper it went, the more ominous it seemed—she didn't dare to go any further.
After finding a relatively safe spot, she carefully laid the unconscious woman down, using her own robe as a makeshift bedding.
With limited resources, Lang Huan tried an ancient fire-starting method. She picked up a piece of flint from the cave floor and pulled a dagger from her boot. Striking them together, she created sparks that landed on the dry leaves, slowly igniting them into a small flame.
Carefully, she added twigs and small branches, feeding the fire until it grew into a steady blaze. The warmth and light filled the cave, offering a sense of safety and ensuring they could survive the night.
Not long after, the woman regained consciousness. She jolted in shock, realizing she was lying face down, wearing only a
Seeing that she was awake, Lang Huan carefully helped her sit up. But before she could say anything, a sharp slap landed on her cheek.
"Ugh..." Lang Huan realized something was wrong. In the Great Qi, a woman's chastity was of utmost importance. She quickly apologized for her rudeness and tried to explain.
But the woman refused to listen. She grabbed the dagger lying on the ground, intending to take her own life.
Panic surged through Lang Huan. She rushed to stop her, but the woman was stubborn and struggled against her grip. As the situation out of control, Lang Huan finally shouted, "I am a woman!"
The woman was stunned into silence.
Lang Huan repeated herself, "I am a woman."
She pulled out her hairpin and the small crown from her head. Her long, jet-black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, revealing her true identity.