"Miss, miss, how are you, don't throw any more, please don't…" However, the people on the street acted as if they were deaf, continuing to throw things. Zhi Ruo stood in front of Xiao Yao, hugging her mistress while crying. As she wept, her gaze caught someone behind Xiao Yao throwing a stone at them. She quickly turned while holding Xiao Yao, and the stone struck Zhi Ruo on the head. Instantly, a bright red blood sprayed onto the stunned Xiao Yao's face, shocking her back into consciousness.
"Zhi Ruo, Zhi Ruo, how are you?"
"Miss, I might have to leave first. You must survive, miss. You have to clear the Xiao Family's name. But, miss, I can't bear to leave you, sob sob …"
"Zhi Ruo, Zhi Ruo, don't fall asleep, I will definitely save you, I definitely will!" Xiao Yao tore off her bright red wedding dress, then searched her body for hemostatic medicine and needles. However, because today was her wedding day, another maid of hers, Zhi Yun, said that it was unlucky to carry these things and did not bring them.
"What to do, Zhi Ruo, I didn't bring any hemostatic medicine today, somebody help, please, save her!" Xiao Yao frantically begged the people around her, but then.
"Save her? She got what she deserved. Since she's your maidservant, she too is part of the traitorous lot. It serves her right to die!" Qian Liu bellowed out loud.
"Here they come, take the traitor's daughter away!" Eunuch Li gave the order loudly.
"No…" Just as Xiao Yao tried to get up and use her strength to knock down the guards, she found she couldn't muster any force at all. Her inner strength simply would not come forth, and her hands flailed weakly as the guards dragged her off toward the Sky Prison in the direction of the Imperial Palace. The crowd on the street quickly dispersed, and as they did, they spat on Zhi Ruo's body. Soon, only Zhi Ruo lay gasping on the blood-drenched ground of Changan Street. Her lips were moving, struggling to say something. Occasionally someone would pass by and listen, only to hear.
"I... Our master... is... is... innocent. Miss... I'm sorry... I... must... go first…" A passerby heard this, tears streamed down their face, but they couldn't get involved and shook their head as they walked away. Zhi Ruo also closed her eyes and departed.
In the Sky Prison, Xiao Yao sat on the ground in a sorry state, covered in the smell of eggs and vegetable leaves.
"Someone, someone, I want to see His Majesty!" Xiao Yao shouted loudly. Soon the prison head came over quickly.
"What's with all the shouting? Today is His Majesty's grand wedding; how could he possibly have time to see you?" said the fat-headed, big-eared prison head with a beard, impatiently.
"Grand wedding? Wasn't the marriage called off? Who is His Majesty marrying?"
"Of course, it's with the Capital City's number one beauty and talented lady, Minister Chang's daughter, Miss Chang Liying. Only a beauty like Miss Chang is worthy of our His Majesty. You're simply a toad lusting after swan meat!"
"The imperial edict just announced that these past few years, Nanyang Country has grown into a wealthy and mighty nation, all thanks to Miss Chang working behind the scenes. She managed the flood control, developed terraced fields, used some sort of lime powder to melt snow and ice to keep the roads clear, and even during military campaigns, disguised as a young boy, she stayed right by the Third Prince, who was then inconspicuous. And this time, it was Miss Chang who cleverly used her intelligence to catch the Right Prime Minister's involvement in the Fifth Prince's rebellion. Otherwise, who could have imagined that Prime Minister Xiao, known for his integrity and nobility, and his three sons would be traitors, eh? Ah, Miss Chang is not only a beauty that makes fish sink and birds touch down in shame, but she also possesses stunning talents and extraordinary wisdom unlike any before her. If I could marry such a beauty, I would gladly die right now..." The prison head started with admiration and respect but slowly began to ramble on as if infatuated.
Xiao Yao's anger changed to a calm serenity as she listened to the prison head's words from the very beginning, sitting disheveled on the damp straw, her red bridal dress stained with yellow and black marks.
By now, what was there left to not understand? Today's act of marrying her, a grotesque character covered in half-raw bruises, was a conspiracy, a plot against her which even implicated the Right Prime Minister. It could be said that the conspiracy began the moment she first met Xuanyuan Jinxing.
When Xiao Yao first met Xuanyuan Jinxing, she did not feel any affection for him. Yet, over the years, Xuanyuan Jinxing's relentless care and tenderness made her want to taste love once more, to believe in it again. But the price of this love was the execution of the entire Xiao Family.
"It is said that His Majesty and Miss Chang were childhood sweethearts, acquainted from a young age. How come I've never encountered such a beautiful love..."
The jailer was muttering to himself but inadvertently caused a spark of realization in Xiao Yao's mind, grasping at something just out of reach.
"Sir, I'd like to ask you something. How did Xuanyuan Jinxing and Chang Liying come to know each other, do you know?"
"How dare you call His Majesty and the Empress by their names. However, the imperial edict just mentioned that His Majesty was eight years old, the Empress three!"
"Heh..." Xiao Yao laughed mockingly at herself, laughter turning into tears that fell to the ground and quickly disappeared without a trace.
Because the Xuanyuan Jinxing and Chang Liying she knew had met through her introduction. In the cell at night, Xiao Yao remembered the sweet nothings Xuanyuan Jinxing used to say to her.
"Yaoyao, I like you!"
"Xuanyuan Jinxing, I don't like you, but you are my benefactor. Whatever you need, I will help you!"
"I like you, not for you to help me. It doesn't matter if you don't like me, but please don't reject my kindness toward you!"
Five years later.
"Yaoyao, I like you!"
"Brother Xing, what do you like about me? My face is half white and half red, everyone else stays far away from me, saying my face looks like a ghost's. Aren't you scared?"
"Like is just like, whatever it is. I like you for your inner self, not your appearance!"
"Alright, Brother Xing, I'll give you a chance. However, what I want is to be together for a lifetime, without any other wives or concubines, not even a housemaid. Can you do that?"
"Yaoyao, I only like you, and I definitely won't give another woman even a glance!"
Xiao Yao calmly watched Xuanyuan Jinxing, without saying a word. Seeing this, an anxious Xuanyuan took her hand and said urgently.
"Yaoyao, don't you trust me? How about I swear... yes, I'll swear that in this life, I will only like Xiao Yao. If I betray this, may thunder strike me..." Xuanyuan Jinxing swore.
But Xuanyuan Jinxing had not finished his oath before Xiao Yao covered his mouth, because to the ancients, an oath was more solemn than any promise. Thus, Xiao Yao was still willing to trust Xuanyuan Jinxing. At that time, she thought, since Xuanyuan Jinxing had sworn an oath, she should give him a chance. If he were to betray her, then she would simply leave him then.