Chapter 9
Killing Without Bloodshed
No one knew why the Late Emperor had set such a condition back then.
But now, the Empress felt that the condition had been perfectly designed.
After all, no one in the Fu family studied medicine.
Although Fu Zhao Ning had spent years searching for medicine for her grandfather, everyone in the capital knew she was incredibly foolish.
She could never remember medicinal herbs properly.
Usually, a doctor would draw pictures of herbs for her, and then she would climb mountains trying to find them.
But did she ever actually find the correct herbs?
Not really.
Fu Zhao Ning would usually dig up a huge pile of random plants, then carry them back to the pharmacy and ask the doctors to sort through them to see whether any were correct.
She had even once boiled the wrong medicine for Old Master Fu.
These stories had long become jokes across the capital.
Xiao Yan Jing had also grown disgusted with Fu Zhao Ning because of this, believing she was a useless fool who only embarrassed him.
If he married someone like her, people would laugh at him too.
At this moment, the Empress truly wanted to laugh loudly.
The Late Emperor’s condition had been set brilliantly!
“Empress,” the Grand Empress Dowager said coldly, clearly displeased, “this Dowager had completely forgotten about this matter. Since you remembered it, why did you not mention it before the ceremony? The Fu family girl is already A’Yuan’s wife now.”
The Empress had clearly done this on purpose.
Although the Grand Empress Dowager did not want Prince Jun to marry either, seeing him tied to a fool like Fu Zhao Ning was admittedly somewhat amusing.
And now the Empress could use this chance to torment Fu Zhao Ning as well.
The Empress smiled apologetically.
“Grand Empress Dowager, this servant only remembered it just now. I truly forgot earlier.”
As if anyone would believe that.
“Perhaps Miss Fu really can gather ten medicinal herbs from Luo Yue Mountain,” the Empress continued smiling as she glanced at Fu Zhao Ning, pretending to speak kindly for her sake.
“But if she fails…”
“Prince Jun could simply keep Miss Fu as a concubine.”
“That would not be impossible either.”
Everyone’s hearts trembled.
The Empress looked gentle and smiling—
but these words were truly cruel enough to destroy someone completely.
Fu Zhao Ning had just become Prince Jun’s Princess Consort in a proper wedding ceremony.
Yet with one sentence, the Empress wanted to drag her down into becoming a lowly concubine.
A concubine and a Princess Consort were worlds apart.
But who could blame it?
Fu Zhao Ning had no powerful backing at all.
Song Yuan Lin immediately clapped happily.
“The Empress’s idea is wonderful!”
Although she also hated seeing another woman near Prince Jun, a mere concubine was nothing worth worrying about.
And later, killing off a concubine would be extremely easy.
Although Fu Zhao Ning still wore the red veil and had not yet seen the Empress’s face clearly, she had already cursed her eighteen times in her heart.
Prince Jun really was a walking disaster.
But at this point, she no longer had any way out.
Become a concubine?
Not a chance.
“I agree.”
Fu Zhao Ning spoke clearly.
Prince Jun frowned.
“Since this prince has already completed the wedding ceremony with you, I will not allow you to become a concubine. As for this matter—”
“A’Yuan.”
The Emperor interrupted him.
“This was the Late Emperor’s decree. Do you intend to disobey it?”
“The Late Emperor loved you the most.”
Prince Jun silently clenched his teeth.
Seeing him unable to respond, the Empress smiled again.
“Then it is settled.”
“Tomorrow, the palace will send people to escort Miss Fu to Luo Yue Mountain.”
“Miss Fu, you may only enter the mountain alone.”
“And among the ten medicinal herbs, at least half must be considered valuable herbs—not common weeds found everywhere.”
“Do you have any objections?”
Before Fu Zhao Ning could answer, Song Yuan Lin rushed to speak first.
“This was the Late Emperor’s order from the beginning! She was always supposed to enter the mountain alone!”
“If she refuses, then she should get lost immediately instead of shamelessly clinging to Brother Lan Yuan!”
“I have no objections,” Fu Zhao Ning replied calmly.
“Good.” The Empress finally relaxed completely.
“Then today shall still count as your wedding day.”
“I wish Miss Fu success in completing the task of finding ten medicinal herbs and firmly securing her position as Prince Jun’s Princess Consort.”
“Escort the Princess Consort back to the bridal chamber,” Prince Jun instructed Hong Zhuo and Fen Xing.
“Yes.”
Fu Zhao Ning was escorted into the bridal chamber.
Originally, the wedding should have been fully completed by now.
She should already have become the official Princess Consort of Prince Jun.
But after the Empress created this sudden complication, her position still seemed unstable.
Hong Zhuo and Fen Xing exchanged glances.
Both thought Fu Zhao Ning must be feeling frightened and miserable.
As mere maids, they did not know what comforting words they could offer.
But unexpectedly, Fu Zhao Ning suddenly spoke first.
“Is there anything to eat? Bring me food first.”
She had held on until now purely through willpower.
She felt like she was starving to death.
Before transmigrating, the original Miss Fu probably had barely eaten anything.
Then she herself had spent half the day fighting and causing chaos.
By now, she was so hungry her stomach nearly stuck to her back.
In fact, she was too hungry to even waste energy arguing with the Empress anymore.
“This servant will immediately bring food for Your Highness.”
Fen Xing hurried out.
Fu Zhao Ning casually lifted the red veil off her own head and let out a long breath.
“Princess Consort, aren’t you waiting for His Highness to lift the veil with the wedding rod?” Hong Zhuo asked in surprise.
“He already lifted it once before the ceremony,” Fu Zhao Ning replied carelessly.
She looked around the bridal chamber.
The room was huge.
The bed was huge too.
Beautiful carved woodwork hung with pearl curtains surrounded it.
The wedding quilt was bright red, embroidered with mandarin ducks and lotus leaves in golden thread.
Peanuts, red dates, and longans had been scattered across the bed.
Fu Zhao Ning casually picked up two red dates and stuffed them into her mouth.
“They’re pretty sweet.”
Hong Zhuo opened her mouth slightly, unsure whether to explain that those were not meant as snacks.
But the Princess Consort had already eaten them.
“Hong Zhuo, do you know much about Luo Yue Mountain?”
Actually, the original Miss Fu had visited Luo Yue Mountain before.
But she never dared go far alone and only searched near the foot of the mountain a few times, always returning empty-handed.
“This servant knows a little. There are many stories about Luo Yue Mountain.”
“I’m not asking about stories,” Fu Zhao Ning said.
“Tell me whether it’s dangerous and what kind of people usually go there.”
“Yes.”
Hong Zhuo explained carefully.
“Luo Yue Mountain is divided into two sections. A cliff cuts through the middle, splitting the mountain into two halves.”
“The side closer to the capital is called Shang Yue Slope.”
“The deeper side beyond the cliff is called Xia Yue Valley.”
“Shang Yue Slope actually has beautiful scenery, so on good days many people visit there for sightseeing. Woodcutters and hunters also go there.”
“But Xia Yue Valley is much darker and deeper. Even looking at it from across the cliff feels dangerous, so ordinary people do not dare enter.”
Fu Zhao Ning picked up more peanuts from the bed and tossed them into her mouth one by one while asking,
“Is the cliff difficult to cross?”
“Not exactly. There is a suspension bridge connecting Shang Yue Slope and Xia Yue Valley.”
“People with martial arts skills can cross easily, but Princess Consort…”
Hong Zhuo looked at Fu Zhao Ning with worry.
“The bridge sways badly, and it must already be old and worn out. Just imagining it feels dangerous.”
Could Fu Zhao Ning really cross it?
Most noble young ladies would probably go weak in the knees just looking at such a bridge, let alone walking across it.
“Have people found medicinal herbs on Shang Yue Slope?” Fu Zhao Ning asked.
That was what she truly wanted to know.
Hong Zhuo thought for a while before answering.
“Doctors from the city and some poor people occasionally gather herbs there to sell. But they only dare search Shang Yue Slope.”
“They can usually only find ordinary herbs like Mi Xing Grass and Snake Tongue Grass. No one has heard of anything more valuable growing there.”
Fen Xing soon returned with food.
She carried a bowl of sweet eggs and small sticky rice balls stuffed with peanuts.
The soft, sweet flavor actually tasted quite good.
“Princess Consort,” Fen Xing said hurriedly, “this servant also asked the kitchen staff about Shang Yue Slope.”
“They said that even if medicinal herbs once grew there, they were already picked clean long ago.”
