Chapter 2

"Lord and Dowager! Lady Yingyue has returned!" a servant came rushing in the pavilion where Lord Huang Feng and Dowager Huang Yu were, both worried about Huang Yingyue. Upon hearing this piece of news, Yu and Feng stood up quickly and went to the gates to welcome Yingyue back.

Yu breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Yingyue safe. "My dear, we've been so worried about you! Where have you been?!"

"Thrown in a forest, Dowager Yu." Yingyue muttered bitterly. Her eyes met the Dowager's.

"Oh, enough of that Dowager nonsense. I've reminded you plenty of times to call me Grandmother." Yu said, waving her hands. When Yu released Yingyue, Feng took over and hugged his second daughter tightly.

When Feng released Yingyue, Yu checked her appearance. "My dear, you look starved. Come, let us eat."

"Grandmother, Father, I apologise for worrying you both." Yingyue bowed slightly to the both. Yu and Feng exchanged a glance.

"What's important is that you're here and you're safe, darling granddaughter." Yu smiled. Yingyue returned the smile lovingly. "Now, come on. Let us not make haste. A servant will come to help you get dressed."

A few minutes later and Yingyue was already dressed in a pale blue hand with white accents. Yingyue joined her grandmother and her father in the pavilion. She sat down quietly.

"Yingyue, we have something of importance to tell you." Feng said slowly.

"It has something to do with your marriage." Yu say bluntly.

Yingyue looked taken aback. She quickly regained composure. "If it is of importance, surely the whole family must be here?"

Her face was full of innocence, but her intentions were not. Truth be told, she just wanted to see Concubine Lie's expression when they saw that they had failed to kill her. Yu and Feng glanced at each other once more. Feng cleared his throat. "O-Of course. You," he said, pointing to a nearby servant. "Fetch Concubine Lie and her daughters."

"Yes, Lord Huang." the servants bowed and went to get Concubine Lie. The servant knocked tentatively in the concubine's pavilion. Concubine Lie's servant, Luo Wo, opened the door with a glare.

"What do you want? My ladyship is still resting." Luo Wo glared.

"Lord Huang has ordered me to fetch Concubine Lie and her daughters." the servant bowed.

Luo Wo huffed and went to alert Concubine Lie. When the Concubine awoke and learned of the situation, she smirked evilly. 'Huang Feng must have learned that his daughter is now dead. We will finally be the hostess of this mansion! I will finally rule the Huang family!'

Concubine Lie wasted no time in alerting her daughters of the happenings. "Quick! Lord Huang is calling us! Must be to tell us that I am finally Legal Wife, and you are finally Wife's Daughters!"

Huang Jian and Qin rushed to get dressed and nearly ran all the way to their grandmother's pavilion. When they entered, they were surprised to see Huang Yingyue looking at them, a smug smirk settled on their face. Concubine Lie stumbled back. "Yingyue? How are you a-alive?!"

Yingyue jumped at the opportunity to humiliate the Concubine and her daughters. "Why are you surprised to see me, Concubine Lie? I have hardly been gone for - what - 3 weeks?"

"A whole month, dear." Yu corrected her granddaughter. Feng glared at Concubine Lie.

"Do you have something to do with my daughter going missing, Lie?" Feng narrowed his eyes at the Concubine.

"Father, that is absolutely absurd." Huang Qin laughed nervously. "Why would we have anything to do with Huang Yingyue going missing?"

Yingyue cleared her throat. "Father, I believe you have something of importance to announce to us?"

"Oh, yes, well," Feng said, composing himself. "The Crown Prince has taken an interest to one of you lately. And upon the edict of the Emperor, he is to marry a daughter of mine. I already have selected a daughter, and that daughter is -"

"Is me!" Huang Jian yelled, smiling happily. "Oh, and then I'll be the Crown Princess and then the Empress, and then I'll step on -"

"You are mistaken, Jian." Feng glared at his daughter for interrupting him. "The Crown Prince is to marry Huang Yingyue."

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