Chapter 148: Oh, Confident Souls

Although the Ninth Prince did not finish his sentence in full, the woman standing before him understood precisely what he meant.

She smiled benignly and addressed him in an exceptionally gentle tone, "What happened back then is something anyone in my position would have done. I had to fake my death; otherwise, how could I have ever escaped that cage?"

With that, the woman launched into a fabricated tale of her own making.

She told them that years ago, while the three of them were trapped within the imperial palace, they had deliberately staged a scene of her death in order to break free from that gilded prison.

Originally, there had been a plan to take the Ninth Prince with them, but the sheer risk of drawing too much attention forced them to abandon the idea, leaving her with no choice but to flee alone.

She then went on to tell the Ninth Prince that despite escaping by herself, she had spent all these intervening years consumed by guilt and self-reproach.

Yet, ultimately, she could no longer bear the agonizing years of longing. She had finally left the remote forest where she had been living in seclusion and journeyed to the capital. Finding no trace of him there, she had set out once more, wandering far and wide in search of the Ninth Prince.

Upon finally hearing rumors that he was stationed at the border, she had traveled there all by herself. Being entirely helpless and unversed in martial arts, she had nearly fallen victim to vicious scoundrels, only to be rescued at the last moment by Yan Hecheng.

Once she learned of Yan Hecheng's identity, she had revealed her true purpose to the young man, leading to the sequence of events that everyone now witnessed.

Listening to the woman's story, Shen Hezhi let out a cold, inner sneer.

What a remarkably woven tale; it was almost enough to move one to tears. Yet a falsehood remained a falsehood, no matter how skillfully disguised.

Nonetheless, the current situation demanded that he play along with this woman's performance. If she were to realize her facade had crumbled and refused to continue acting her part, how else could they ever unmask the mastermind lurking in the shadows?

"So that was how it happened... You have truly suffered terribly all these years." Try as he might, Shen Hezhi could not bring himself to address this stranger as his imperial mother, and thus unconsciously bypassed the title entirely.

After all, the woman before him was not his true mother; playing along superficially for the time being would suffice.

With her own agenda firmly in mind, the woman paid little attention to how the Ninth Prince addressed her.

Instead, she shook her head and sighed, "None of that matters. It is simply my failing that I have been unable to stay by your side all these years, neglecting my duties as a mother."

Pausing for a moment, the woman even managed to squeeze out a few genuine-looking tears as she looked at Shen Hezhi. "And so, now that I have returned to your side, I hope to make amends for the mistakes of the past. I only wonder if you are still willing to accept a mother like me."

Shen Hezhi offered a faint smile, nodded, and replied, "Naturally I am. Where in this world is there a son unwilling to accept his own mother? But since you have endured so much hardship over the years—let me make introductions. This is my Princess Consort, she..."

"I know. The sixth young lady of the Yan estate." At the mention of Yan Heru, the woman's gaze instantly turned icy, bearing no resemblance whatsoever to the warmth she had just shown the Ninth Prince.

Taken aback by the woman's hostile attitude, Yan Heru felt a mixture of astonishment and helpless amusement.

Glancing briefly at Yan Heru, the woman turned her attention back to the Ninth Prince, her face instantly resuming its previous benevolent and gentle smile. "Zhi'er, your status is far too noble; not just any woman is worthy of standing beside you. However, though she currently holds the position of primary wife, it matters not."

"In time, Mother can select a far better woman for you, and you can elevate that superior woman to your rightful primary wife."

Hearing these words, a surge of raw fury ignited within Shen Hezhi. However, mindful of his little wife standing right beside him, he managed to suppress his anger for the moment.

Even so, his tone turned noticeably harsh as he stared directly at the woman. "I am deeply fond of her, and she shall be my one and only primary wife. Most importantly, she is the only woman I will ever have; there will be no others. Although there is currently a secondary consort in my manor, I will find a way to send her away."

Hearing the Ninth Prince speak in such a manner, the woman instantly grew displeased, seemingly forgetting that he had not yet truly forgiven her, nor had he even uttered the word "Mother" aloud.

Yet, for reasons unknown, she suddenly assumed a self-righteous air, acting as though the Ninth Prince was bound to obey her every whim.

"How can you be so unfilial, child? Everything Mother does is entirely for your own good. Do you truly believe Mother would ever harm you? This woman comes from a humble background and lacks refinement in her manners and bearing; she is utterly unsuited to be your primary wife."

"Everything Mother has done is the result of careful consideration. You are simply unable to understand my intentions right now, but in time, you will come to understand."

Shen Hezhi found himself completely unable to endure this nonsense any longer. Having heard enough, he lost all desire to continue investigating; regardless of who had dispatched this woman, he was done playing this game.

Just as the Ninth Prince was about to lose his temper, Yan Heru stepped close to him, gently tugging at his sleeve and murmuring in a low voice, "My lord, bear with her a little longer. Perhaps through her, we can uncover a massive conspiracy. Besides, my lord does not actually have to heed her words—why let yourself become enraged over such a triviality?"

Though Shen Hezhi wanted nothing more than to put an end to the charade, seeing his little wife plead with him—and realizing she likely wished to get to the bottom of the mystery—he forced himself to swallow his anger.

"This is not a matter that requires immediate resolution, so let us drop the subject for now. Rather than dwelling on this, we should return to the capital first. Everything else can be dealt with once we are back." Desperate to avoid a total outburst, Shen Hezhi hastily steered the conversation in a different direction.

The woman, oblivious to the impropriety of her words and entirely unaware that the Ninth Prince had only changed the subject to keep his temper in check, remained satisfied.

Hearing that they were returning to the capital, the woman nodded in approval. "Returning to the capital is for the best. Zhi'er, once we are back, Mother will immediately begin selecting a proper, well-bred young lady of noble birth to be your primary wife."

Though the woman refused to drop the subject, it was abundantly clear that the Ninth Prince had no intention of entertaining it further. He turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Yan Heru and Yan Hecheng behind to handle the aftermath.