After Becoming a Concubine, I Took Down the Princess - Chapter 7

Leaning on the soft couch, Liang Shu fiddled with a string of emerald jade beads in his hand and said, “Since she has entered the palace, how can she be sent out? If you don’t like her, just don’t interact with her in the future.”

As soon as Liang Xiao heard this, she knew that the Emperor (Father) was determined to keep Yan Heng, and today, whether by throwing a tantrum or any other means, she probably couldn’t make Yan Heng pack up and leave.

She glared fiercely at Yan Heng, who was still half-kneeling, and then put on a friendly smile: “Since Father says so, I shouldn’t make things difficult for the beauty.” As she spoke, she walked forward and helped Yan Heng up.

Yan Heng: …Thank you, Princess, but don’t think I can’t feel you pinching me.

Although her hand was not polite, the two still had to maintain a harmonious appearance, so Yan Heng returned a fake smile: “Princess considers for the Emperor, how can that be considered making things difficult? It’s just that I, your concubine, am incompetent and failed to win the (Your Highness’s/Princess’s) favor.”

Liang Xiao, who was subtly mocked: …

Perhaps Liang Shu couldn’t bear to watch their insincere exchange, so he waved his hand and said, “Xiao’er, aren’t you going to see your Mother Empress? Take Yan Meiren (Beauty Yan) with you and let the Empress teach her some etiquette.”

Liang Xiao squeezed out a single word through gritted teeth: “Yes.” She turned around, glared at Yan Heng again, and reluctantly led the way.

As soon as they left Qianyuan Hall, Liang Xiao stopped and turned to Yan Heng, demanding, “You entered the palace from the Xiyao Building. What are you plotting against my Father Emperor?”

Yan Heng, suddenly facing her fury, felt somewhat wronged for no reason: “Princess, you might not know, but my entrance into the palace was actually to see you.”

Liang Xiao: …?

She stared blankly at the woman, whose beauty would shame the flowers, and asked in confusion, “To see me?”

“Exactly,” Yan Heng blinked, daringly took a step forward, grabbed Liang Xiao’s arm, and said, “There are some secrets involved that aren’t convenient to discuss outside. May I come to your sleeping quarters to talk in detail?”

Her eyes darted around, like a small animal begging for food, staring at Liang Xiao with wet eyes.

Liang Xiao felt she must have been charmed by the beauty, or why would she have answered with a “Yes” without thinking, and even forgotten to take her to the Empress’s palace?

Back in Liang Xiao’s Liuyang Palace, she waved her hand, dismissing everyone, leaving only the two of them in the room.

“Speak, why exactly did you need to see me?” Liang Xiao took a few sips of tea, inexplicably feeling thirsty.

Yan Heng pulled up the sleeve of her left hand and offered her wrist to Liang Xiao.

She knew in her heart that if she told Liang Xiao the origin of the bracelet, the fact that she was a demon would inevitably be exposed. At that point, as soon as Liang Xiao took off the bracelet, she would immediately leave the palace to prevent Liang Xiao from calling people to capture her.

“Princess, years ago when you were outside the palace, you gave me this chain. This bracelet is made with a peculiar design, and only you can take it off. I dare not keep something I haven’t earned, so I’ve been looking for you for a long time. I wanted to return this bracelet to you when I saw you at the Xiyao Building the other day, but your guards threw me out,” Yan Heng said sincerely.

“I dare not keep something I haven’t earned” was false; the truth was she wanted to take it off sooner to avoid the nightmare attacks.

“Only I can take it off?” Liang Xiao wore a “you’re lying to a child” expression, clearly not believing Yan Heng.

So Yan Heng recounted the entire story about the ‘Love Knot’ bracelet.

After listening, Liang Xiao said, “So this is my Mother Concubine’s relic?”

That’s strange. When Mother Concubine died of poison that year, Father feared that there might be residual poison on the things she used, so he had most of her relics burned, only keeping a few items by his side to remember her by.

So where did this Yan Heng get the bracelet? Could she be deceiving her?

The more Liang Xiao thought about it, the more suspicious she became. She simply got up, fetched a long box from the inner room, and took out a painting.

The painting depicted a woman in luxurious clothes, with unparalleled beauty. A plain skirt on her seemed bathed in a glorious light, setting off her exquisite looks, like a fairy who had descended to the mortal world.

The person in the painting was gathering her left sleeve to feed fish, revealing a segment of a wrist as white as snow.

Both immediately noticed the chain on Concubine Lian’s wrist. It was indeed identical to the one on Yan Heng’s hand.

“It really is Mother Concubine’s relic. Then why would I give it to you? And when did I give it to you?” Liang Xiao was full of doubts.

“That… Princess, you travelled to Shangnan nine years ago, and it was then that you gave it to me,” Yan Heng replied.

“Shangnan? Nine years ago?” Liang Xiao began to recall.

“You met a wild white fox,” Yan Heng added, afraid she wouldn’t remember.

“There was such an incident. I remember I gave the chain to the fox, and then—” Liang Xiao suddenly realized something, abruptly stood up, and pointed at Yan Heng.

“You, you wouldn’t be—” She almost bit her tongue.

Yan Heng blinked and nodded.

Liang Xiao took a deep breath: “Demon—”

Yan Heng quickly covered Liang Xiao’s mouth, signaling her to be quiet.

“Don’t worry, Princess, I would never harm anyone. If I intended to harm you, I would have done so nine years ago. Why would I stay in the manor?” Yan Heng’s words were earnest.

Liang Xiao made muffled sounds, signaling Yan Heng to remove her hand.

“Really? You don’t harm people?” Liang Xiao’s apricot eyes were full of suspicion. It was the first time she had heard that demons truly existed in this world, and she was both shocked and scared.

“Absolutely true. I came here just to return the bracelet to you,” Yan Heng was close to swearing an oath.

Liang Xiao slowly calmed down: “So, as long as I take the bracelet off, that’s it? And then you’ll leave? What about the Xiyao Building—”

Yan Heng said, “I have never seen the Princess at the Xiyao Building.” With that, she offered her wrist to Liang Xiao.

A quarter of an hour later, both were sweating profusely.

“Why won’t it come off? Are you tricking me?” Liang Xiao was a little angry, clutching Yan Heng’s wrist without letting go.

“My clan’s Grandma said the owner of the bracelet would be able to take it off,” Yan Heng was also extremely anxious. The chain had chafed her wrist red. Upon closer inspection, there were even faint threads of blood.

Could it be that Liang Xiao wasn’t the owner of the bracelet? Yet, Yan Heng could indeed smell a unique scent on Liang Xiao and dreamt of her every night.

What should they do? They slumped together, unable to think of a solution for a moment.

Suddenly, Liang Xiao placed Yan Heng’s wrist on the table, got up, and went back to the box to retrieve a book: “This is a journal written by my Mother Concubine before her death. I’ll see if there’s any record.”

So, the two put their heads together and began flipping through the book.

Yan Heng was literate but didn’t like reading. Staring at the delicate small script characters, she felt overwhelmed.

“Found it,” Liang Xiao said, pointing to a section.

After reading the text above, both were stunned.

Concubine Lian wrote that for the Love Knot to be removed, the owner and the wearer must be in love. The Love Knot was originally meant to be worn by the Emperor, but for the sake of bearing children, Concubine Lian endured the pain and took it off, wearing it on her own wrist instead.

How could Yan Heng possibly fall in love with Liang Xiao!

“There are two other methods here,” Yan Heng saw another ray of hope.

After reading them, she felt that the chain was simply a lethal weapon.

“Either the person wearing the bracelet dies, or they find the master who originally consecrated it to destroy it,” Liang Xiao summarized.

Yan Heng now looked like a frosted eggplant, slumping dejectedly on the small couch.

Yan Heng said, “The Master must have already…”

Concubine Lian had mentioned that the Master was already in his eighties when the consecration took place. Twenty years had passed since then. Even with cultivation, the lifespan of the human race would not be too long. There was no need to guess; the Master must have long been buried.

She would have to wear this thing for the rest of her life… To dream of Liang Xiao every night for a lifetime, she would rather have a quick death.

“Perhaps the Master’s apprentice can,” Liang Xiao said with a frown.

Eleven years ago, her Mother Concubine died of poison, and her Father was heartbroken. Since this chain was a token of their affection, how could it be worn by a demon? Liang Xiao had to find a way to take it off.

Her Mother Concubine had been deceased for many years, and few items were left behind. Missing her mother in her heart, she also hoped to have more of her mother’s belongings to remember her by.

“Since you are a demon, you must have a way to avoid being summoned for the night. Why don’t you stay in the palace for now, and I will send people to search for the Master’s disciple,” Liang Xiao mused, tilting her head. “If you rely on your demon status to harm people in the palace, don’t blame me for exposing your identity.”

Hearing this, Yan Heng immediately flared up: “Don’t be so narrow-minded! We demons would never harm people!”

With that, she angrily picked up her skirt and left, muttering about Liang Xiao the whole way.

Three days later, Liang Xiao’s maid, Yue Zhou, brought unfortunate news.

“The disciple of Master Hongzhi, Abbot Guanzhen, is traveling. Currently…” Yue Zhou said, watching Yan Heng’s face get worse and worse, as if she would faint at any moment.

“Currently, his whereabouts cannot be found.”

Sure enough, Yan Heng swayed. Huazi, the maid beside her, quickly caught her: “Be careful, Meiren!”

Yan Heng: I’m doomed!

She brushed away Huazi’s hand, forcing herself to hold on to a shred of hope: “Really can’t be found? How about I go out of the palace to search? I’m the best at finding people…”

To her surprise, Liang Xiao glanced at her indifferently: “You are not allowed to go anywhere. You have my mother’s precious relic on you. How can I let you run around?”

Yan Heng couldn’t hold her breath and completely fainted.

When she woke up, Huazi quickly offered a cup of tea: “Don’t worry, Meiren. The Master will eventually return.”

Yue Zhou added, “The Princess also asked this servant to tell Meiren to properly protect Concubine Lian’s relic until the Master is found. If there is any damage…”

Yan Heng’s hand was resting on the edge of the table, showing a subtle tendency to flip it.

“The Princess will reveal your identity…”

With a “bang,” the small table used for tea on the soft couch was flipped over by Yan Heng. Yue Zhou quickly salvaged the teacup to prevent the tea from staining the Princess’s precious mink cushion.

Huazi was stunned, extending her hand blankly, unsure whether to help with the table or Yan Heng.

“What’s wrong?” Liang Xiao walked in, frowning, “Hurry up and set the table back up for me!”

Yan Heng silently reached out and, with Huazi, righted the table.

Nine years ago, she shouldn’t have been soft-hearted enough to accompany that girl. Now, she would have to spend the rest of her life on this.

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