The man grabbed her slender neck, "Do you think I am blind?"
Barely able to breathe, Leng Yu Yan awoke with a start.
For two consecutive months, she had been having these outrageously shameful and heart-stopping dreams.
In her dreams, a man with his eyes shielded by a white scarf had pinned her to the bed, entangling her wildly. After each encounter, he would chillingly choke her, barely exerting any force to break her neck.
He was devilishly charming yet ruthlessly demonic.
Every time, he remained silent, but this time he referred to himself as "I."
In today's world, only the Crown Prince self-referred as "I"!
The dream and the information within it made Leng Yu Yan wake up in cold sweat, her awakening disturbing Miao Zhu, the maid also in the horse carriage.
"Miss, another nightmare?"
Leng Yu Yan shook her head, "It's nothing."
"The master really, tossing Miss into the gully for five years without care, and now suddenly remembers," Miao Zhu lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the slightly bright sky, "forcing Miss to rush to the capital, what exactly is it for?"
Approaching the capital city, events from five years ago grew clearer in Leng Yu Yan's mind.
Back then, her elder brother from the same mother died on the battlefield, and their mother, upon hearing the news, fell into despair and soon also passed away.
From then on, her originally stunning looks turned ugly, her face resembling a pig's head, covered with large blotches. Not only that, her skin darkened, and her figure became increasingly bloated.
Less than a month into mourning, the house replaced the white mourning silk with festive red silk; her father then promoted his mistress to his official wife.
At the celebration, she intended to publicly question her father before all the guests—how could he, with her mother's body still warm, calmly promote his mistress.
But unexpectedly, before she could speak, the Young Master Wei, who was engaged to her since childhood, seeing her visage, broke off the engagement on the spot.
The guests laughed at her as the ugliest woman in the world.
Her father, disgusted by her, sent her out of the capital city on the same night, discarding her in the gully to fend for herself.
It was on that night in the gully that she had perished.
When she awoke, her inner essence had changed.
At that time, she discovered that the body she occupied was extremely weak, suffering from such a fierce poison that once triggered, it instantly threatened her life.
Clearly, someone had intended for the original host of this body to die!
This indicated that both her elder brother's death and her mother's demise were suspicious. Moreover, since her mother was her father's official wife, the husband should have mourned for a year, but her father hastily promoted the mistress, clearly revealing his intentions.
Five years had passed, the strange poison in her body was finally cleansed, and her appearance had recovered.
This time entering the capital, regardless of her father's intentions, she had come for revenge!
Leng Yu Yan's thoughts were interrupted by Miao Zhu's ramblings, "Miss, sleep a little longer, the maid will watch over you. The carriage ride is bumpy, and you haven't slept enough. Now that you've finally regained your looks, if dark circles form under your eyes, I won't be able to explain to the late Madam."
Miao Zhu was one of the maids her mother had chosen for her, and she had stayed with her when she was driven out of the house.
"I won't sleep."
As daylight brightened, the carriage entered the bustling market of the capital city, the calls of vendors rising and falling inside the carriage.
Miao Zhu's stomach growled with hunger, and she apologetically said, "Miss, your maid..."
Leng Yu Yan chuckled lightly, pulling out a light scarf to cover her face, "Let's go, we'll get off the carriage and buy some breakfast."
"Alright!"
Miao Zhu happily assisted her young mistress off the horse carriage.
A street full of snack vendors dazzled the eyes.
Following in another carriage, a servant woman of the Leng Family disdainfully watched the master and servant selecting breakfast.
Having grown up in the mountains, without much nurturing, unaware of what dignity meant, they dared to buy their breakfast in such a public place!
At that time, Wei Ruili, who had just come out of the West Market's Flower and Willow Lane, saw a young girl not far away and couldn't help but brighten his eyes.
She was dressed in a water-blue dress, her arms adorned with a white scarf, and as the gentle breeze blew, she seemed like a fairy descending to earth.
Even though her face was covered by a light veil, her figure was exquisitely delicate, and her walking posture alone was enough to intoxicate him.
He had initially planned to grab a bite here and bring some pastries back to appease the old lady at home, to avoid punishment for not returning all night. But now, he had forgotten his original purpose, and his feet unconsciously followed her.
Leng Yu Yan bought some pastries and steamed buns and Miao Zhu paid with Silver Coins, preparing to eat them in the carriage.
As the master and servant were leaving the store, a man blocked their way.
Leng Yu Yan was stunned for a moment, the man in front of her had long, peach blossom eyes and a small mole at the corner of his left eye, which made him look both sentimental and conceited.
With such distinctive features, she recognized him instantly as Wei Ruili, the man she had been betrothed to since childhood.
Wei Ruili elegantly folded his fan, "I do not know which family's little wife this lady might be, do you have a match?"
His eyes were flirtatious and his tone fairly greasy.
Leng Yu Yan coldly glanced at him, grabbed Miao Zhu's arm, and brushed past him.
Standing in place, Wei Ruili silently marveled, the girl's eyes were stunningly beautiful, soul-capturing; if she smiled at him, he felt his soul might be hooked away.
Not only that, but look at her silhouette, that slender soft waist, moving so gracefully and alluringly, it was truly delightful to watch.
As a breeze passed, her skirt clung to her body, accentuating her figure even more, defining her waist and hips.
He couldn't help but lick his lips.
When did such a lovely creature arrive in the capital, and he did not know?
If the Leng Yu Yan he was betrothed to initially had this figure, even if her face looked like a pig's head, he would never call off the engagement.
Suddenly, he felt that all he had slept with before were nothing but vulgar and ordinary.
Wei Ruili stylishly unfolded his fan, a smile curling at his lips.
If he could find the Divine Doctor soon to cure the Ninth Princess's leg ailment, when his efforts in finding the doctor prove successful and he smoothly marries the princess, and then takes this enchanting person as a concubine, life would be most delightful!
In the horse carriage.
Miao Zhu gnawed fiercely on the bun, "Miss, was that person just now Young Master Wei?"
"Did you recognize him too?"
"Yes, his mole makes him look effeminate, it's hard not to recognize."
"Since the engagement is broken off, I have nothing to do with him."
If they meet again and he acts untowardly, she won't be polite.
The horse carriage rattled towards the Leng Residence, slowly coming to a stop.
Getting off the carriage, the first thing she saw were the gilded plaques hanging high above the residence's gates, and two majestic stone lions, just as old, potent memories of the original owner, Leng Yu Yan, had recalled, she redirected her sight and secured her veil.
A servant woman quickly led her into the residence.
As they reached the front courtyard hall, Leng Yu Yan was somewhat surprised, her grandmother, father, his consort, her aunts, and all her supposed siblings and even her uncle's family were present.
Such a full gathering!
Everyone was shocked by the girl they saw before them.
They remembered when she was driven out, her body plump and her face ugly, a sight that used to make one feel sick.
Yet the lady now, although veiled, had a slender figure and fair skin, completely free of those ugly traces.
This startled Mrs. Feng and her daughter Lai Manting inside.
A nanny quietly stood next to Madam Lai, gently announced, "Old Madam, the Fifth Miss has returned!"
Madam Lai, who had been resting her eyes, now opened them, and the sight of the slim, graceful girl startled her...
The granddaughter seemed completely transformed!