Volume One, Chapter Three: Only Then Can She Truly Repent from the Heart

At the Altar of Heaven, the grand ceremony for the recognition of kin was underway. Colorful banners fluttered in the breeze, lanterns were strung high, and the atmosphere was one of extraordinary liveliness.

Pei Shangyan strode forward, moving like a passing gale. Every gesture carried an air of nobility, paired with a commanding presence that seemed capable of holding off ten thousand men. He embodied the imperial authority of the state, a true figure of the heavens. The civil and military officials, along with the royal kin gathered for the ceremony, could not help but admire the Crown Prince in their hearts.

"His Highness the Crown Prince truly grows more and more like His Majesty in his youth!" someone sighed in admiration.

"His Majesty is the True Dragon, the Son of Heaven; naturally, all the princes and princesses possess the grace of dragons and phoenixes—except, of course, for that one black sheep, that fake."

"Indeed. A crooked bloodline leads to a crooked character. She is ignorant and incompetent, unlike the little Princess, who, at only a month since her return, has already mastered the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She is truly the greatest talent in the capital!"

These grating, mocking whispers reached Pei Shangyan’s ears, causing him a flicker of irritation. Sister Zhi had been raised under his own guidance; how could she be considered ignorant or incompetent? He initially wanted to rebuke them for their loose tongues, but then he reconsidered. It was, after all, Sister Zhi’s own poor conduct that brought this on. If he were to speak up for her now, it would seem unfair to his youngest sister.

Pei Shangyan arrived before the Emperor’s central seat and bowed. "Father, Sister Zhi has already admitted her wrongdoings, and I have read the imperial decree. She will be here shortly."

The ruler of the empire, seated on high, radiated an unquestionable, formidable aura. His innate imperial majesty was unrivaled. He gave a slight nod, his expression inscrutable. "When she arrives, she shall apologize to Xi’er in front of everyone. That will put an end to this matter."

"Father!" The woman in palace robes beside the Emperor stood up, unable to hide her anxiety. "Xi’er has already forgiven Sister Yuanzhi. Forcing her to apologize in front of so many people will hurt her pride."

She was Pei Yunxi, the legitimate princess whom the Emperor had recovered just a month ago. Though raised among the common folk, she carried herself with grace and dignity. Her speech was refined, and she was blessed with beauty—fair-skinned and delicate, with a voice like crisp wind chimes that brought a refreshing comfort to all who heard it.

The Emperor looked at her, his eyes immediately softening with warmth. His tone was doting. "Yuanzhi harmed you, yet you plead on her behalf."

"Sister Yuanzhi was merely afraid that I would take away the love of Father and my brothers. She only acted out in a moment of confusion. I suppose it is because Sister Yuanzhi and I have not spent enough time together, leading to this misunderstanding. We are a family; how can there be grudges between family that last through the night?" As she spoke of family, Pei Yunxi cast a shy, embarrassed glance at the Emperor.

The Emperor was pleased by his daughter’s magnanimity. Heartened by her cautious and gentle demeanor, he reached out and took her hand. "Even in a family, rules are rules. She hurt you, so she must acknowledge her mistake and accept punishment. Only then can she truly repent."

Pei Yunxi bit her lip and nodded obediently. "I will do as Father commands."

At that moment, an attendant announced in a loud voice, "Princess Yuanzhi has arrived!"

Mu Yuanzhi walked slowly through the varied gazes of the crowd. As if in a trance, she could still hear the harsh, mocking words directed at her. She felt as though she were back in the prisoner’s cart, surrounded by shouts and calls for her downfall. She steadied her emotions, finally finding the strength to continue forward.

The central seat drew closer, yet she found herself unable to clearly make out her father’s face. When she finally snapped back to reality, she realized that tears had welled up in her eyes. She sniffled, forcing the tears back before they could fall.

No one cared about her tears anymore.

"Your daughter pays her respects to Father," Mu Yuanzhi said, bowing her head in a posture of utmost reverence.

"No need for formalities." The Emperor, supreme in his authority, sat upon the dragon throne. Even while smiling, there was an insurmountable distance between them; he was high above like the sun, and Mu Yuanzhi could only look up, no longer able to act with the unbridled coquetry of the past.

She stood at a distance, but Pei Yunxi hurried over to greet her. "Sister Yuanzhi is here!"

Seeing Pei Yunxi again, it felt to Mu Yuanzhi as though a lifetime had passed. This woman was still so skilled at putting on a performance.

As Pei Yunxi approached, she noticed clearly that the cloak draped over Mu Yuanzhi’s shoulders was the very one she had embroidered for Xiao Yichen!

How could this be?

Pei Yunxi was incredulous. Her eyes searched desperately for Xiao Yichen. When she saw him looking their way, she wanted to confirm the situation with a glance, but his gaze remained fixed entirely on Mu Yuanzhi. A bitter sensation rose in her heart. The cloak she had given him was the product of half a month of painstaking labor; why was it now on Mu Yuanzhi? Had she demanded it?

Unwilling to accept this, Pei Yunxi pulled back her gaze and stared at Mu Yuanzhi, her expression one of aggrieved forbearance.

Those around them, however, could not hold their tongues. "Mu Yuanzhi, why are you wearing the garment the little sister gave to Xiao Yichen?!"

This was the Fourth Prince, Pei Shangling.

It was not the first time Mu Yuanzhi had heard Pei Shangling’s malicious accusations. She felt the usual instinctive pang of sadness, but she quickly cast it aside.

"So this cloak was embroidered by the little sister for my fiancé? I had no idea," Mu Yuanzhi said, her face full of feigned annoyance.

Pei Shangling, who had been thinking that perhaps Mu Yuanzhi wasn't entirely hopeless since she had acknowledged Pei Yunxi as her sister, was choked by her words. How could she say such a thing? Didn't that make the little sister look...

Sure enough, the moment Mu Yuanzhi finished speaking, the surrounding atmosphere turned strange. As the saying went, a man should fear his wife’s sister, and a woman should fear her husband’s brother. How could the little Princess be so oblivious to the need for propriety, gifting such an intimate item as an embroidered garment to her future brother-in-law?

Pei Yunxi had not expected Mu Yuanzhi to be so sharp, using a single sentence to remind everyone that Xiao Yichen was Mu Yuanzhi’s betrothed. Her face flushed with embarrassment. She could feel the probing, scrutinizing gazes landing upon her, and her earlobes burned with heat.

Seeing Pei Yunxi’s helpless expression caused Pei Shangling, who had started the confrontation, to feel a pang of heartache. It was his own lack of consideration; he had been too focused on defending his little sister and had been careless!

Among the officials, Xiao Yichen’s gaze shifted back to Pei Yunxi. He felt a sense of pity; it was his negligence that had placed her in such an awkward position.

At this moment, Mu Yuanzhi removed the cloak and returned it to Pei Yunxi. "Little sister, please do not be angry with me."

As she removed the garment, her blood-stained prisoner’s robes were fully exposed, a shocking sight to behold. A commotion rippled through the hall, and many people cast cautious glances toward the Emperor.

Although it was tacitly understood that one would be subjected to punishment upon entering the Yongxiang, no one cared if a criminal was injured—especially since those thrown into the prison of the Yongxiang rarely had a chance to see the light of day again, leading the jailers to act without restraint.

But knowing it and seeing it with one's own eyes were two different things. Mu Yuanzhi was, after all, still a princess. The Emperor had never stripped her of her title, and inflicting corporal punishment on a princess was no minor offense.

Pei Shangling’s gaze lingered on Mu Yuanzhi, his eyes darkening. He knew better than anyone how much she feared pain.

Sensing the strange atmosphere, Pei Yunxi coughed deliberately. Pei Shangyan and Pei Shangling immediately looked over, filled with nervous tension, fearing that their little sister had not yet fully recovered.