Chapter 10

Chapter 10

I returned to the Marquis Manor that same night.

To avoid raising Yuan Heng’s suspicions, I did my best to act the part of a pampered, affected woman, clinging to him and refusing to let him leave my side for even a moment.

At first, Yuan Heng maintained his hypocritical smile and coaxed me along. Eventually, he grew visibly annoyed and used a summons from the palace as an excuse to leave in a hurry.

He didn’t return for the rest of the night.

And for the rest of the night, I didn’t close my eyes once.

Hongyu had been severely punished by Yuan Heng for “injuring” my face. She had caught a chill and come down with a fever.

Yet, as the saying goes, as soon as one devil leaves, another arrives.

With Hongyu ill, Cuinong came to serve me instead.

Cuinong had also come from the palace; she and Hongyu had served the Empress Dowager together in the past, and the two were close.

She was very cautious. Not only did she remove all her own hairpins and jewelry, but she also had the porcelain vases and any furniture with sharp edges moved out of the room. She was terrified that I might fall again and injure my face.

The Marquis Manor was an airtight cage. I had to find a way to leave, and soon.

Should I return to my family home?

No. My father was weak and feared power, and my legal mother disliked me. They wouldn’t be able to protect me at all.

I had to leave the Capital City!

By my calculations, my mother’s death anniversary was in half a month.

Her memorial tablet was enshrined at Ci’en Temple. I could use the excuse of offering incense to find an opportunity to escape.

Furthermore, during this time, I couldn’t show even a hint of fear. I had to continue learning etiquette and how to manage accounts and the household as usual. I also had to act as though I were dependent on and in love with Yuan Heng.

Having planned my next steps, I finally felt a slight sense of relief.

As dawn broke, I tried to get some sleep, but the moment I closed my eyes, my mind was filled with horrific scenes.

Iron nails driven through bone, a fire that melted flesh and skin, Yuan Heng’s mocking sneer, and… the sound of a neck snapping.

A sudden sharp pain shot through my lower abdomen, and I let out a muffled groan.

“What is it, Madam?”

Through the gauze curtains, I saw a slender girl running toward me. It was Cuinong.

She was in her twenties and quite pretty. Likely due to years of strict discipline, her face was expressionless and somewhat stiff.

Seeing that my complexion looked poor, Cuinong said hurriedly, “I’ll send someone for Mr. Meng right away, and have a servant deliver a message to the Marquis!”

I quickly grabbed her arm. “Wait!”

I was currently unwell. If Yuan Heng found it troublesome and simply had someone abort my child, my body would be ruined. I would completely lose my freedom of movement and be trapped forever!

He only cared that my face remained intact; he didn’t care about my health.

I couldn’t let that happen!

I forced myself to sit up and waved a hand. “The Marquis was summoned to the palace last night; there must be urgent business. There’s no need to worry him. I’m fine. I just pulled the wound on my face when I turned over.”

Cuinong’s large eyes scanned me several times before she smiled. “It is good that Madam is alright.”