Chapter 618: Chapter 618: True Feelings and False Intentions

"Something’s... happened to the Jiang family?" Ye Jingyan asked, surprised.

He hadn’t heard a single whisper about it beforehand.

"So it seems." Ye Chutang quickly averted her gaze. She picked up a piece of candied fruit and fed it to Xiao Wu, seemingly unconcerned.

Ye Jingyan lowered the carriage curtain, lost in thought.

"You don’t seem surprised, Sister?"

Ye Chutang wiped her hands with a handkerchief and finally looked up, a faint smile on her lips as she countered, "The higher you climb, the harder you fall. It’s been that way since ancient times, hasn’t it? The moment Jiang Zhao Yuan stepped down as Grand Secretary, he should have known this day would come sooner or later."

As they passed an intersection, Ye Jingyan could hear people throwing things at the Jiang family’s main gate and shouting endless curses.

He nodded. "You’re right, Sister."

Ye Chutang said coolly, "Even honest officials sometimes die unjustly, let alone a corrupt one."

Jiang Zhao Yuan had enjoyed immense prominence for years. With Jiang Qingmei and Xiao Chengxuan’s backing, he had grown unbelievably arrogant.

His downfall now was simply a matter of time.

Ye Jingyan fell silent for a moment. "You’re absolutely right, Sister. But if the Jiang family’s assets are being seized, doesn’t that mean the Second Prince..."

He trailed off, but Ye Chutang knew what he meant.

Xiao Chengxuan and the Jiang family were inextricably linked. They prospered as one and would fall as one.

The current spectacle said more than enough.

"Didn’t His Majesty already issue an edict for his exile to Yizhou?" Ye Chutang sipped her tea. "The Wazhen Mission has departed, so there’s no reason to delay any longer."

After all, an emperor does not jest.

Ye Jingyan hadn’t expected to encounter such a commotion on his way home during his leave. He was struck with a wave of emotion.

"Who could have thought he would end up like this..."

He recalled when they had first returned to the Capital City. As the Prince most favored by His Majesty, Xiao Chengxuan’s glory had been immeasurable.

In the blink of an eye, he was a prisoner in chains.

Ye Chutang’s eyes curved into a slight smile.

"The world is a fickle place. Isn’t that the truth?"

...

「Duke Zhongyong Mansion.」

Xiao Jiayi slowly regained consciousness. She opened her eyes and stared blankly into space.

She stiffly turned her neck to look outside. The sky was completely dark.

No candles were lit in the room; it was pitch-black.

She finally remembered what had happened. A messenger had come from the palace: Jiang Cairen was forced to drink poisoned wine, Jiang Zhao Yuan was beaten to death, her only full brother, Xiao Chengxuan, was exiled, and she herself was stripped of her title as Princess and demoted to a commoner!

The immense shock had been too much for her to bear, and she had fainted on the spot.

Recalling all this, Xiao Jiayi’s heart twisted in agony.

She struggled to her feet. But just as she reached the door, before she could push it open, a sullen voice came from behind her.

"And where do you think you’re going?"

Xiao Jiayi froze. She spun around, only to see Xie Anjun sitting right there at the table.

She jumped, her heart hammering in her chest. Her voice became shrill. "You scared me to death! What are you doing here?!"

Xie Anjun sneered. "Let me be clear. This is the Xie family estate. If I’m not here, where else would I be?"

Xiao Jiayi was left speechless by his retort.

But she had neither the time nor the energy to argue with him now. She turned to leave.

"I’m going to the palace to see His Majesty!"

Xie Anjun looked as if he’d just heard a joke.

"You? Go to the palace? In what capacity? Do you... even have that right anymore?"

Xiao Jiayi froze in her tracks.

Only then did she remember. ’I’m not a princess anymore... I’m just a lowly commoner!’

Xie Anjun’s lip curled. "You should be kowtowing in gratitude for His Majesty’s grace. At least he spared your life. Otherwise, wouldn’t it be a pity to die an ignominious death like your grandfather and mother?"

By comparison, Emperor Muwu had already shown exceptional mercy by merely stripping Xiao Jiayi of her status.

But how could Xiao Jiayi possibly accept that?

’To fall from the heavens into the mud... this is worse than death!’

’In a single day, I’ve lost everything I relied on!’

’I didn’t even get to see my mother one last time, or send Xiao Chengxuan off... I don’t even know what really happened in the palace!’

"How could this happen... How could this happen!"

She whirled around and lunged at Xie Anjun, grabbing his collar. "Didn’t you say you’d help my brother clear his name? What do you have to say for yourself now!?"

Xie Anjun slapped her hands away with a sudden, impatient motion.

"Do you still think you’re the high-and-mighty Eldest Princess?"

"I did say that. But that brother of yours committed a crime worthy of beheading! The fact that His Majesty merely exiled him to Yizhou instead of having him publicly executed is already an act of great magnanimity! And you’re delusional enough to hope he’d be acquitted and continue on as the glorious Prince Qi?"

"You’re dreaming!"

He straightened his collar and rose to his feet, looking down his nose at Xiao Jiayi.

"You’d better behave yourself and do as you’re told. As long as you keep me happy, there might still be a place for you in the Xie family. Otherwise, you won’t even have a roof over your head! Out there, you’ll be at the mercy of anyone who wishes to bully and trample you!"

Xiao Jiayi couldn’t believe he was saying such ruthless things to her.

The disgust in his eyes was almost palpable, as if he were looking at something filthy.

She had never seen such a look on his face.

She muttered in disbelief.

"What... what are you saying?"

Her eyes darted around the room, as if searching for something.

"Don’t bother looking. There’s no one here but you and me," Xie Anjun said coldly, as if reading her mind.

Xiao Jiayi slowly raised her head, feeling as though she were looking at a complete stranger.

"You... Didn’t we agree this was all just an act? Do you know what you’re doing?"

A cold smile spread across Xie Anjun’s face.

"Of course I do. The whole Capital City knows that we’re an estranged couple at each other’s throats. Isn’t it perfectly normal for me to act this way?"

Xiao Jiayi was dumbfounded.

"You... You... But that was just an act! It was a desperate measure to prevent the Xie Family from being implicated because of Cheng Xuan! How could—"

Xie Anjun cut her off with a sneer. "Who said I was acting?"

Xiao Jiayi’s mouth fell open, her mind a complete blank.

"But... but you, and Fan Chengzhuo, you both clearly said—"

Not wanting to hear what she was about to say, Xie Anjun’s expression turned frigid.

"Times are different now. You were far too naive to believe those words."

Xiao Jiayi stared at him, her expression one of utter disbelief, as if she had never truly known him at all.

She collapsed limply to the floor. "So... you stopped loving me long ago! What did I ever do to make you hate me so deeply!"

’All these years... just one absurd dream!’

She snapped her head up, her eyes filled with bitter grief. "You planned this all along, didn’t you! You all pretended to support my brother, but you betrayed him from the very beginning! Xie Anjun! You are utterly vicious!"

SLAP!

Xie Anjun slapped her across the face. His expression was grim as he warned in a low voice, "If you weren’t Lin’er’s mother, I would have thrown you out long ago! Do you think I would have let you stay here until now?"

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