She Holds the World After Being Reborn
Chapter 113: Different Paths, Destined to Part Ways

Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Different Paths, Destined to Part Ways

On the day Xiao Pingfeng left, Yan Wanqing stood atop the city tower watching his retreating figure.

She saw the Emperor personally pour wine for him as a farewell, noticed the smile Xiao Hongshen couldn’t help but reveal among the crowd, saw his icy expression as he mounted his horse, and watched him walk far away before he turned back to look...

Yan Wanqing held the wine cup in her hand, faced the wind toward his glance, and raised the cup to drink all the wine in one go.

She hid atop the city tower, letting him think she was a heartless woman; somehow, that was good too.

He had his battlefield, and she had hers.

If their paths differed, they were bound to diverge.

From the beginning to the end, they could never walk together.

Since the Crown Prince led the expedition, the power of Prince Seven at court began to grow wildly. With the Emperor increasingly indulging in alchemy as he sensed his limited days, and assigning all state affairs to Prince Seven, his arrogance grew boundless.

When Yan Wanqing went out, she often saw his men oppressing the common people.

She took note of all these things and kept a record in her heart.

To strike a snake, hit its vital spot with a lethal blow.

Yan Wanqing understood this principle well.

What she had never expected was the news Chai You brought her.

Shortly after the Crown Prince left, a strategist within coaxed nearly all the retainers of the Eastern Palace to defect and join Prince Seven.

This strategist, named Wa Chengnan.

The loyal man of her previous life had chosen to serve under Prince Seven this lifetime.

Yan Wanqing investigated for a long time before she learned that the Crown Prince had instructed Wa Chengnan to leave the Eastern Palace before departing, which triggered his defection and led him to sway many strategists to Prince Seven’s side.

With these strategists’ advice and strategies, Prince Seven became even more dominant, almost taking on airs of an Emperor himself, as Zhang Lanyi couldn’t help but complain to Yan Wanqing.

Yan Wanqing asked Zhang Lanyi to endure, knowing that small impatience could spoil great plans.

However, what she hadn’t expected was that Xiao Hongshen would be so brazen as to take over several of her businesses outright, including seizing several of Yan Lingzhen’s pharmacies with force.

This was an overt violation of Yan Wanqing’s taboo.

She directly had her fifth sister mobilize grassroots forces to smash the businesses of Xiao Hongshen along one entire street.

Xiao Hongshen hadn’t arrived, but his newest favorite, named Yun Ge, led people from Prince Seven’s residence over.

Without a second word, Yun Ge stepped forward and began smashing things.

Yan Wanqing was checking the accounts in the back courtyard when she heard the noise upfront; she put down the ledger and went out.

Yun Ge, holding a pet cat, stood far away while her subordinates frantically smashed items inside the shop.

When the shopkeeper saw Yan Wanqing come out, he hurried forward, "Commandery Princess..."

Yan Wanqing raised her hand to stop him from speaking.

She looked at Yun Ge, dressed in fine silks, obviously highly favored by Xiao Hongshen. It wasn’t for nothing that she had spent much effort to send her there.

At that moment, Yan Wanqing stepping out from behind the shop caught Yun Ge by surprise.

She instantly recalled the time Yan Wanqing had framed her.

"I wondered who it was that dare defy the Emperor to the extent of seizing Prince Seven’s business. Turns out, it’s Princess Anping," Yun Ge stepped forward, stood amidst the wreckage, and viciously stomped on the fabric on the ground, causing the distressed shopkeeper to look away.

Yan Wanqing had no reaction whatsoever.

"Do you know how much the piece of fabric under your feet is worth in silver taels?" Yan Wanqing would not go easy when given a chance to pinch.

Yun Ge sneered arrogantly, "I don’t care how many silver taels it’s worth. Today, your shop won’t be able to continue operating."

"What big talk," Yan Wanqing said, completely unruffled. "It doesn’t matter if you don’t know its value, but you should know one thing, this shop serves only the ladies of the court, and the fabric you had people smash and dirty today was due to be delivered there tomorrow."

"So what? It’s you who can’t deliver, not me," Yun Ge was not intimidated at all.

At this moment, the authority of the Seventh Prince was unquestionable even in the court; even the Empress had to yield to him by three points. As his most beloved woman, who would dare say a word more if she damaged some fabric?

Yan Wanqing must be out of her mind.

"Lin Yanran, you escaped from exile and ended up at the residence of the Seventh Prince. This is a crime of deceiving the monarch, punishable by beheading," Yan Wanqing suddenly said as if having an epiphany.

Lin Yanran sneered, "My name is Yun Ge, not Lin Yanran."

Her indenture was clearly written with the name Yun Ge.

The Seventh Prince had already settled all past events. She didn’t believe Yan Wanqing had the capability to uncover her true identity.

Yan Wanqing stepped back clutching her chest, "But your face is clearly Lin Yanran’s."

Yun Ge rolled her eyes, holding her pet tightly, "There are so many people in the world who look alike; you shouldn’t speak nonsense, Commandery Princess."

As she spoke, she turned to her subordinates and deliberately spoke loudly, "Keep smashing!"

Miss Yun Ge was highly favored in the residence of the Seventh Prince, and not one dared disregard her words.

The men tore up all the fabric displayed on the walls and tables and threw it onto the ground. Yan Wanqing appeared very fearful on the surface, being pulled into a corner by the shopkeeper, but internally she was unaffected.

The cost will come out of the perpetrator’s pocket.

Xiao Hongshen would pay back exactly what he destroyed today, tomorrow.

After Yun Ge’s arrogant exit, Yan Wanqing had the shopkeeper cry out loud on the street, making sure every word was associated with the household of the Seventh Prince. Since Yun Ge was too infamous lately at Fireworks Lane, people soon recognized that the beauty auctioned for a thousand taels of gold that night was for the Seventh Prince!

The rumor was slightly tweaked by Yan Wanqing. Very soon, rumors flew among the common folks that the Seventh Prince was extravagant, addicted to pleasures, disrespected the elders, publicly smashed the shop of Township Manor, and felt entitled among other things detrimental to Xiao Hongshen.

At the residence of the Seventh Prince, Yun Ge thought she had done a great thing and awaited Xiao Hongshen’s praise.

But the first thing Xiao Hongshen did upon returning was to grab her by the throat.

Yun Ge was terrified, grabbing Xiao Hongshen’s hand with both of hers, her face turning red, "Your Highness, please calm down!"

Xiao Hongshen, thinking of the news he heard on his way back, wished he could strangle the foolish creature before him.

"You smashed her shop today right in front of her?"

Yun Ge knew whom he was referring to, "Yes, I did."

Seeing her defiance, Xiao Hongshen sneered, "Who do you think you are!" He then threw her down, and Yun Ge fell onto the soft couch.

Looking at the mole on her nose, Xiao Hongshen’s gaze deepened.

"Do you know how Anping manipulated today’s events? Do you know how the old ministers impeached me today when I returned? Foolish thing!"

Xiao Hongshen was always very cautious with Yan Wanqing. "Who told you to act on your own!"

And to do it right in front of her.

Yun Ge cried bitterly, "Yun Ge just wanted to vent anger on your behalf. Yan Wanqing has never respected Your Highness from the beginning, even allowing her subordinates to bring grassroots criminals to destroy your business. Yun Ge doesn’t think she was wrong."

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