Chapter 2: I Knew It Would Be Like This

In the dim light, he stood with his back to the lamp. Even beneath the cover of loose clothing, his tall, slender frame and refined physique still displayed a captivating beauty of strength.

With a creak, the door opened, and a guard entered, head bowed, holding an oil lamp.

In the gloom, his features remained unclear; one could only see the resolute contours of his face, sculpted like stone, and a pair of deep, reserved eyes, though it was impossible to tell what they were concealing.

"Your Highness, should we dispose of the woman inside?" the guard asked respectfully as he stood on tiptoe to drape a heavy robe over his shoulders.

"The poison has been entirely transferred to her. Do you think she will survive three days?" he countered, his voice colder than the autumn night.

The guard dared not ask further. *Guose Tianxiang* was the territory of Prime Minister Han, and this woman was none other than the Prime Minister’s second daughter, Han Ziqing, who had been schemed against by the eldest Miss Han and sent here.

The Prince had merely used this second daughter to transfer the lethal poison from his body that he could not force out himself. If he killed her now, it would only arouse suspicion; it was better to leave her for the eldest Miss Han to deal with.

The *Meixiang* poison in the Prince’s body had been planted by Consort Yi, a favorite of the Emperor. Once he used his internal energy to force the poison out, its properties would transform into an aphrodisiac. This poison had no antidote; the only way to remove it was to transfer it through the act of intimacy. The Prince had always avoided women, but tonight, forced into such a corner by Consort Yi, he hadn't even had time to return to his manor before heading straight to *Guose Tianxiang*, where he had stumbled upon the "good deed" arranged by the eldest Miss Han.

"Has that man been silenced?" he asked coldly. The eldest Miss Han hadn't just sent her sister here; she had even arranged a man for her, though unfortunately, he had intercepted the situation.

Of course, if Han Xi'er hadn't done such a thing, he might have been in great trouble tonight!

"Rest assured, Your Highness, that man will keep his mouth shut! The eldest Miss Han’s scheme will proceed as planned; no one knows you came to *Guose Tianxiang* tonight," the guard replied respectfully.

He nodded in satisfaction and turned around. In that instant, he flicked his hand to extinguish the lamp, never once sparing a glance at the woman who lay unconscious on the mat.

...

Soon, the sky grew bright.

"Who is this? Did she get tossed out of *Guose Tianxiang*? She’s truly beautiful!"

"Oh my, it really is *Guose Tianxiang*. Look at that figure—tsk, tsk, tsk. I wonder how much silver one night with her costs... hehe..."

"Goodness, getting to admire such beauty first thing in the morning—today is my lucky day!"

...

Lecherous laughter rose and fell. Ziqing, dazed, slowly opened her eyes to find a large crowd of men surrounding her. She instantly sobered up and bolted upright, only to realize she was lying at the entrance of the *Guose Tianxiang* restaurant, wrapped in nothing but a thin layer of white gauze to cover her shame!

Everything from last night flooded back into her mind. She had known Han Xi'er was waiting for this, but she had been unable to fight the effects of the drug and had fallen asleep! Damn it!

She swept a cold gaze over the surroundings. Just as she was about to stand up, a woman, accompanied by a group of guards, unexpectedly shoved the men aside and lunged forward, delivering a slap directly to her face!

"Han Ziqing, you are truly shameless! Before your mother died, she begged and pleaded with me to take good care of you, and yet you go and commit such an act of adultery! How can you face me, your father, or your mother?"

"Han Ziqing, even though you are a concubine's daughter, you are still a member of the Prime Minister's household! How dare you commit adultery! And if that weren't enough, in broad daylight, in front of everyone... you... you... you have brought total disgrace to the Prime Minister's house!"

The woman was none other than Han Xi'er’s mother, Madam Han!