Han Yueheng couldn't possibly be saved by Consort Fan. Quite the opposite—in fact, if she were willing, it would take just a single word from her. Even now, as the dust has nearly settled, she could easily keep Han Yueheng safe if she truly felt even a hint of compassion; she could find a scapegoat to send to Japan in her pce.

  But why would she do that? She had already mapped out Lady Fan's future path to follow—forsaken by friends and family, her parents unable to reach out to her due to her oppressive authority. Her daughter would be sent to Japan as part of an alliance, never to return to Great Zhou. Her husband didn't care about her survival, and her son would only be blindly loyal to her.

  The first step was already in motion, and it was she herself who had pushed it forward with her own hands. Only if she'd lost her mind would she choose to help Han Yueheng.

  Thus, she rebuked Zhou Weiqi, who had come pleading for mercy, in a sharp and furious tone, an unprecedented outburst of anger, "If you're determined to anger me to death, then go right ahead! If you really go through with this, don't ever set foot in my doors again, and don't ever acknowledge me as your mother!"

  Zhou Weiqi couldn't understand why Consort Fan would react so explosively. In his eyes, this was a trivial matter that could be resolved with a few words, sparing his aunt's daughter from the misery of leaving her homend. It would even improve their retionship with the Han family—an opportunity with all benefits and no harm. But his typically rational mother had, for some unknown reason, become maddeningly obstinate on this matter.

  Thinking back to how he had already promised his aunt at the Marquis of Jinxiang's residence, Zhou Weiqi felt a surge of shame and frustration. His neck and face flushed red as he shouted, "Aren't you always acting the part of the kind aunt? Now, when it really counts, you show your true colors?! Aunt has done nothing to wrong you, and Yueheng sees you as her st hope. Yet when it comes to saving their lives, this is how you treat them?!"

  Rarely had Consort Fan been so infuriated. Her shoulders trembled, and she was left stunned by Zhou Weiqi's rebuke. She had always refrained from mentioning these troublesome matters in front of her son, intending to better manipute Han Zhi and the Han family by fostering a close bond between her son and them. But now, her calcuted indulgence to solidify her hold over the Han family had instead fostered real attachment between her son and the Hans!

  Overwhelmed with anger, she clutched her chest, closed her eyes, and, using all her strength to contain herself, pointed at the door and said coldly to Zhou Weiqi, "Get out!"

  Feeling utterly bewildered, Zhou Weiqi—usually so mild-tempered—lost his patience and stormed out, flinging his sleeve in a huff.

  Nanny Fang entered just then and, seeing what had happened, cautiously approached and whispered a few words into Consort Fan's ear.

  A strange, icy smile spread across Consort Fan's still-furious face. She let Nanny Fang calm her, pressing her sharp fingernails into her palm without even noticing the pain. Growing up together, they knew each other well. Even with her teeth knocked out and cws clipped, Consort Fan's sister still had ways to bite back. So she had secretly sought Zhou Weiqi's sympathy, attempting to drive a wedge between mother and son.

  Did she want to avoid sending Han Yueheng away? Consort Fan sneered and instructed Nanny Fang, "Send someone to the Ministry of Rites and let Secretary Wang know. Winter is approaching—should we wait until the new year to send the princess to Japan? Let them expedite the arrangements, for the sake of maintaining decorum between the two nations."

  Once the Ministry of Rites paid heed to the matter, the Astronomical Office wouldn't dey either. They would soon select an auspicious date to send off the envoys from Japan and the Ninth Princess set to marry there.

  Nanny Fang hesitated, clearly troubled. "But my dy, His Highness was furious about this just now. If he learns you're intervening again, he may..."

  Intervening? And what if he finds out that she not only refused to help but actually hastened the process? She was Zhou Weiqi's mother, not Lady Fan. What could he do—would he truly cut ties with her over this?

  Consort Fan's smile deepened, yet her eyes were vacant. She turned to Nanny Fang and asked, "Is he my son, or that wretch's? Even if he finds out I orchestrated this, what of it?"

  Chilled by her gaze, Nanny Fang quickly complied and left the room.

  Consort Fan turned to the nearby maid, Lianqiao, and instructed, "Go to the Marquis of Jinxiang's residence. Tell them I've sent a gift to adorn Yueheng's wedding attire. Remind Nanny Qi to keep an eye on Yueheng. She's not there to indulge her mistress's antics; if she isn't doing her job, there's no difference if she's there or not."

  Lianqiao bowed and respectfully agreed, then proceeded to the storeroom to select items for the gift list. While Consort Fan detested her sister, she never allowed anyone to fault her on her generosity, ensuring that the items sent to the Han family were of the highest quality.

  Upon her return, Consort Fan didn't even gnce at the list. Instead, she instructed Lianqiao, "Also, tell the marquis's wife that if she has any grievances, she can come to me directly. There's no need to timidly seek a favor from the younger generation. A mere child can't make any real decisions. Her resentment won't get her anywhere; it's far better to face me openly."

  Though they were sisters by blood, her tone made them sound like enemies. Where was the warmth expected from an elder sister? Lianqiao felt a chill down her spine but dared not show it, knowing well her mistress's temperament. She carefully acknowledged the orders and led a small team to the Marquis of Jinxiang's residence, where she repeated Consort Fan's words before being led by Qiuyu to see Han Yueheng.

  Lady Fan had always known she was valued by Consort Fan even less than a dog. A barking dog might earn a gnce from her, but no matter how much she screamed, Consort Fan wouldn't spare her even a single look.

  So, she secretly went to plead with Zhou Weiqi, but she hadn't expected that Consort Fan wouldn't even give Zhou Weiqi any face. Her hatred for her ran this deep.

  A surge of resentment rose uncontrolbly in Lady Fan's heart. What had she done wrong to deserve such torment from Consort Fan? Wasn't it enough that she had endured years of suffering? Now she even had to see her children tormented as well?

  Years of pent-up bitterness suddenly found an outlet, and Lady Fan clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms without her feeling any pain.