Chapter 23: (Twenty-Three) Prince Lengning's Mansion

"The Lengning Prince's Mansion." Leng Lingxue spat out the four words with a smile, then lowered the carriage curtain. Zimei nodded slightly toward Fei Linglong before boarding the carriage. Watching the carriage depart, a flicker of doubt flashed in Fei Linglong's eyes. The Lengning Prince's Mansion? If she remembered correctly, there was no young lady named Leng Lingxue in the Lengning Prince's Mansion.

"Ah... right." Just as Ling'er was helping Fei Linglong walk toward the gates of the Prime Minister's Mansion, Fei Linglong couldn't help but cry out. Three years ago, the third young lady of the Lengning Prince's Mansion, Leng Lingxue, had gone to offer incense with the Prince's successor consort, only to encounter bandits and go missing, her fate unknown.

If that was the case, was the Leng Lingxue from before the third young lady of the Lengning Prince's Mansion?

"Miss, what's wrong? What's 'right'?" Ling'er, startled by Fei Linglong's sudden shout, asked in confusion.

"Oh, it's nothing, I just suddenly remembered something," Fei Linglong replied, shaking her head. Ling'er then went to knock on the door. After the gates opened, she helped Fei Linglong disappear inside the Prime Minister's Mansion.

The carriage traveled along the bustling streets and stopped at the gates of the Lengning Prince's Mansion just as the last light of the horizon vanished. At this moment, two large red lanterns were already hanging on either side of the gate, illuminating the entrance. Looking at the plaque with the four characters "Lengning Prince's Mansion" and glancing at the stone lions standing on both sides of the gate, a cold sneer couldn't help but tug at the corners of Leng Lingxue's mouth.

Since she had taken over Leng Lingxue's body and been reborn, she would be the one to collect the debts owed by this Lengning Prince's Mansion.

Zimei stepped off the carriage and knocked on the gates of the mansion. Before long, an impatient voice came from within.

"Who is it? Knocking on the door in the middle of the night." As the voice faded, the gates of the Lengning Prince's Mansion slowly creaked open a crack. A dim-witted-looking servant poked his head out, looking at Zimei with eyes full of suspicion.

"Who are you?" the servant asked, casting an arrogant look at Zimei.

"The third young lady of the Lengning Prince's Mansion has returned. Tell your Prince to come out," Zimei said bluntly.

"What third young lady? Our Lengning Prince's Mansion has no third young lady... Wait, wait a minute, did you say the third young lady?" The servant waved his hand as if dismissing Zimei, but then suddenly recalled something and repeated the question. Upon receiving Zimei's nod of confirmation, the servant immediately slammed the gate shut, leaving behind a single phrase: "Wait a moment."

Zimei glanced at the tightly shut gates of the mansion and turned to walk back to the carriage.

They didn't have to wait long before the gates opened again. This time, it wasn't a servant or a maid who emerged, but a graceful and elegant noblewoman. A light red dress accentuated her youthful, beautiful complexion and her exquisite figure.

She looked to be only in her twenties, but in reality, the successor consort of the Lengning Prince's Mansion was already thirty years old; it seemed she was quite skilled at maintaining her appearance.

"What kind of person dares to come to my Lengning Prince's Mansion to commit fraud?" As soon as the noblewoman appeared, she frowned and shouted at Zimei.

"Second Mother is truly forgetful; have you forgotten Lingxue so soon? It is a pity that Lingxue still remembers Second Mother's face. Thanks to Second Mother's 'meticulous care' back then, Lingxue dares not forget." As the noblewoman's voice faded, Leng Lingxue's voice slowly rose. The carriage curtain was lifted, and Leng Lingxue stood upon the carriage with peerless grace, looking down at the noblewoman with a smile, her lips curling into an evil, charming grin.