Chapter 24: Lord Xiao Wants to Take a Concubine?

The Prince has brought a woman back to the estate and even let her stay!

Concubine Yu’s face turned deathly pale in an instant. She scrambled to her feet, stumbling so hard she nearly fell. Why had the Prince never mentioned this to her? When the Prince had insisted on marrying Yan Ziyu as his Princess, she had caused a scene. Had it not been for her sister, the Noble Consort, promising that she would one day find a way to make her the Princess of Xiao, she never would have been content to remain a mere secondary consort for all these years. Now that she was finally nearing the end of her wait, that harlot Concubine Qian had become pregnant, and now the Prince had suddenly brought home another woman—likely to take her as a concubine—without a word of warning. What did the Prince take her for?

"Sister, why are you so flustered? Has some major event occurred?" Yan Ziyu asked, her brow furrowed with faint concern as she looked at Concubine Yu.

"It is nothing. I am feeling a bit unwell, so I shall not keep you company any longer. Excuse me."

Watching Concubine Yu’s disheveled retreat, the corners of Yan Ziyu’s mouth curled into a cold sneer. Her mental fortitude was so poor; she was already falling apart? How, then, was the rest of the game to be played?

No sooner had Concubine Yu departed than Lvliu arrived at the pavilion, nodding at Yan Ziyu with a smile. "My Princess, I saw Concubine Yu storming off. She has likely gone to the front hall; the Prince and the others are all there." Having made all the arrangements as instructed by her mistress, everything was now ready, with only the final catalyst needed to set the plan in motion.

Yan Ziyu reached up to smooth a lock of hair from her forehead, smiling indifferently. "Concubine Yu is not a fool. If you underestimate her, you will be the one to suffer. Do you truly believe she would go and confront the Prince at a time like this? Ha... then you are very much mistaken."

"Has the painting in the Prince’s study been returned? See that it is handled properly so no evidence is left behind. The Prince is in high spirits right now; let us not go and dampen his mood. As for this matter, let Concubine Yu expend her energy on it. Given my current situation, I will not involve myself in these affairs. Tell everyone I am feeling unwell."

Lvliu paused for a moment before instantly grasping the Princess’s intent. She smiled and stepped forward to support her. "I understand, my Princess. Let me help you return to your chambers."

Yan Ziyu pressed her lips together in a faint smile, shaking her head in silence. This was merely tit for tat. Since Long Xiaoyan had shown her no affection and had been so heartless toward her, why should she, like the former Yan Ziyu, continue to wrong herself and silently endure such injury? Compared to everything Long Xiaoyan had done to her, her own actions were truly trivial. In another sense, Long Xiaoyan should be thanking her—after all, it was she who had delivered that face he longed for so dearly right to his doorstep.

* * *

In the front hall of the Prince of Xiao’s estate, Long Xiaoyan sat in the seat of honor, dressed in deep purple robes. His chiseled, handsome face lacked its usual coldness; at this moment, his eyes were filled with excitement and joy. What could cause such a violent emotional fluctuation in the usually aloof Prince of Xiao?

The attendant who had served the Prince for many years stepped into the hall and immediately wore an expression of sudden realization. His eyes brightened, and he walked over to another woman in the room, bowing with great respect. "This servant, Anyuan, greets Miss Ya..."

"Anyuan, you have mistaken her for someone else. Her name is Suqing; I rescued her by chance," Long Xiaoyan corrected, his voice cold once more, though his eyes never once left the face of the woman named Suqing.

Hearing this, Anyuan was startled, thinking to himself: Is this truly not Miss Ya? It was truly bizarre; this Miss Suqing looked exactly like Miss Ya, as if she had been cast from the same mold—so incomparably stunning, so breathtakingly beautiful!

"Your Highness, this lady and Miss Ya are identical. Are they perhaps twin sisters?" Anyuan leaned in to whisper to Long Xiaoyan, the only one to hear him. How could two people in this world look so much alike unless they were twins? Long Xiaoyan looked greedily at the face that had appeared in his dreams countless times, his eyes filled with such tenderness and obsession.

"Suqing lost both her parents and was left destitute. She traveled thousands of miles to the capital to find her relatives, only to discover they had long since vanished. She was nearly pushed into a life of misery. Had I not happened to pass by and rescue her today, she would have been sold into a brothel and lost forever." Long Xiaoyan stared at Suqing’s delicate features with rare tenderness, his tone filled with pity as he recounted her tragic plight. Anyuan, hearing this, felt deep sympathy for her.

"Anyuan, give the order: Miss Suqing will be staying at the estate from now on. Tell the servants to see to her needs."

"Yes, Your Highness, rest assured. I will make the arrangements immediately." With that, Anyuan hurried away. He was genuinely happy for the Prince. Miss Ya’s status was special; it was unlikely she could ever be with the Prince for life. Now that a woman who looked almost exactly like her had appeared, the Prince would have someone to ease his longing, making his days easier to bear.

After Anyuan left, the woman named Suqing stood up, eyes shimmering with tears as she looked at Long Xiaoyan. She was breathtakingly beautiful, with delicate features like a fairy from a painting. Her slender frame seemed as though a gust of wind could blow her away. She felt like a lily swaying in the breeze—pure, ethereal, and moving. The aura of fragility she exuded made one want to hold her close and protect her, to shelter her from the world.

"I thank Your Highness. If not for your rescue, I do not know what would have become of me. I have no way to repay such great kindness, but I am willing to serve you in my next life..." Two crystal tears rolled down her delicate cheeks as she knelt, looking up at Long Xiaoyan with tear-filled eyes that seemed ready to overflow.

Long Xiaoyan had been staring at her face, his eyes full of tenderness. Seeing her tears, his expression changed instantly. He practically rushed forward to help her up, embracing her as if she were a rare, priceless treasure, gazing at her with doting love, silent for a long moment.

"Your Highness..." After a long while, Suqing lowered her head with a shy blush and whispered.

Long Xiaoyan seemed as if struck by lightning. He quickly released her. "Stay in the estate and set your mind at ease. Do not worry about other matters; if you need anything, just send someone to find me." His voice held a gentleness not usually found in him, though it was faint, those familiar with him could easily detect it.

Before Long Xiaoyan could have Suqing escorted away, a messenger arrived from Concubine Yu’s side, claiming that Concubine Qian was feeling unwell and appeared to have agitated her pregnancy, begging the Prince to come at once. Upon hearing that the pregnant Concubine Qian was in distress, Long Xiaoyan immediately had a servant lead Suqing to her room while he hurried off to Concubine Qian’s courtyard.

In his haste, Long Xiaoyan failed to notice that after Suqing left the front hall, she did not go to the rooms prepared for her as instructed, but instead began to walk toward another part of the estate.