"What a pity, having to wash clothes on the Lantern Festival."
"Why pity her? She deserves it. If it weren't for her jealousy and the way she hurt the little Princess, why would the Emperor have punished her to repent in Yongxiang? Does she really think she is a Princess beloved by all? She is nothing more than an adopted daughter, not worth a single strand of hair compared to the kind-hearted little Princess."
"Exactly. The little Princess grew up among the common people and knows best how to empathize with servants like us. Unlike her, who is arrogant, overbearing, and vicious! Forget about her; let's go eat our tangyuan. No point in catching bad luck on such a festive day!"
In the biting cold of midwinter, within the sunless depths of Yongxiang, a few palace maids spat in the direction of Mu Yuanzhi, who was curled up in a corner shivering, before continuing on their way, laughing and chatting.
Mu Yuanzhi’s hands were red, swollen, and numb from the cold. As she tried to breathe warm air onto them, the movement of her arms caused the heavy chains to drag down several wooden buckets, instantly covering the clothes she had spent all day washing in snow and grime.
Defeated, she leaned her head back against the wall. The sense of grievance she had finally managed to suppress flooded back in.
Mu Yuanzhi took a deep breath. Having lived through a second life, she told herself she must not continue to wallow in self-pity.
Compared to being flayed and stuffed with straw, tortured to death in her past life, the freezing cold and starvation she endured now as a servant were nothing.
She looked at her skin, which, despite being covered in wounds, still clung to her flesh and bone.
The Emperor had once praised her skin for being fairer than snow, jokingly calling her the Snow Princess. Later, he was the one who ordered her to be flayed and stuffed with straw—her skin peeled off while she was still alive, fashioned into a drum, and stuffed with straw to be hung at the city gates as a warning to all.
Every time she recalled this, a wave of terror would instantly engulf her, leaving her chest tight and her breath shallow. She felt even colder now, digging her fingernails into her palms to maintain her composure.
In her previous life, she had been a noble Princess for sixteen years before being told she was merely adopted. At her birth, her biological parents—the Grand General and his wife—had died on the battlefield, and the Emperor, yearning for a daughter, had brought her into the palace to raise.
Later, the real little Princess was found. Pei Yunxi, who had lived among the commoners for years, received the love of the entire palace the moment she returned.
Mu Yuanzhi would never forget that day. The Emperor had stroked the head of the newly recognized Princess Pei Yunxi with affection, declaring that his only little Princess had finally come home.
But the Emperor had clearly told her she was his only little Princess. Why had everything changed overnight? Why did the Emperor and her older brothers suddenly stop being her kin?
She had stood in the main hall, lost and helpless, like a total stranger. It took a long time for the Emperor to notice her presence; he beckoned her over to console her, saying she was still his good daughter, yet in the same breath, he announced to the world that she was merely an adopted child, not his true daughter.
Pei Yunxi had effortlessly stolen the love of her father and brothers, while Mu Yuanzhi was accused of conspiring against the royal bloodline out of jealousy. Stripped of her freedom and cast into Yongxiang, she was sentenced to death for her alleged misconduct.
How ironic. "Yuan" for freedom and bravery, "Zhi" for noble character—yet she had died branded by such labels and crimes.
Mu Yuanzhi adjusted her breathing, forcing down every trace of weakness.
She had already died once; what could be more terrifying than death?
This was her first time being thrown into Yongxiang, but she still had a chance. In this life, she would live only for herself!
Suddenly, a shrill voice cut through the air outside Yongxiang: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince arrives!"
Mu Yuanzhi looked up to see a tall, imposing figure striding toward her. His dark, gold-embroidered dragon-patterned cloak was heavy and luxurious, completely out of place in this dark, sunless prison.
She felt a brief moment of daze, looking at that handsome, clear-cut face—so familiar, yet so foreign.
This was the man she had called "Prince Brother" for sixteen years. He had once traveled across mountains and deserts to find a rare herb for her, and he had also drawn his sword to pierce her chest for the sake of Pei Yunxi!
At this moment, they had not yet turned against each other. His gaze, upon catching sight of her blood-stained prisoner's garb, held a trace of concern and pity that he could not hide.
The ripple in Mu Yuanzhi’s heart quickly calmed. Everything she had spent her life trying to reclaim—all the grievances and the tears—should have ended in her past life. She didn't care for them anymore.
"Sister Zhi, do you admit your fault?" Pei Shangyan asked.
*Heh.* Mu Yuanzhi sneered inwardly.
The exact same question as in her past life.
He used to call her "Little Sister," but now it was "Sister Zhi," a distinction meant to separate her from Pei Yunxi, the "true" little sister.
Seeing her remain silent, Pei Shangyan assumed she was still unrepentant. His brows furrowed slightly. "Sister Zhi, you went too far this time. To think you actually used a hidden weapon to hurt our little sister! You’ve always been headstrong and liked using those tacky, underhanded tricks, but how could you be so insensible this time? Do you know the little sister has been running a high fever for days, fighting for her life? She nearly suffered permanent damage. Yet, even so, she is so kind-hearted that as soon as she woke up, she begged Father to let you out."
*Underhanded tricks?* Mu Yuanzhi smiled bitterly. The hidden cannons she had designed had allowed a court army on the verge of collapse to crush an enemy force of one hundred thousand with only eight thousand men! In these times of peace, her inventions had become "underhanded."
"I admit my fault."
Mu Yuanzhi parted her nearly frozen lips, her tone cold and detached.
Admitting fault was just a matter of moving her lips.
In her past life, she had refused to compromise, refusing to admit to things she hadn't done. As a result, she was left to rot here, treated like a beast of burden—hauling sewage, washing chamber pots, chopping wood, and washing clothes. If she was a second too slow, she was whipped.
The severe cold she caught had nearly killed her. Even after she was released, she remained under that shadow of guilt, suffering constant condemnation.
Looking back, she had brought it on herself. They were biased anyway; what did it matter whether she admitted it or not?
Freedom and health were more precious than anything. She had to learn to love herself.
Pei Shangyan seemed to doubt his own ears. Just before she was thrown into Yongxiang, she had begged him, pleading with him to believe her, crying that she really hadn't done it.
"Was it truly you?" Pei Shangyan asked, his heart heavy with pain. "Then why did you say you were framed before?"
"It was indeed me," Mu Yuanzhi said, lowering her eyes, her tone remaining calm.
Pei Shangyan took out the Imperial Edict and said, "Very well. Father said as long as you admit your fault, this edict will be proclaimed, and you will be released."
*So that was it,* Mu Yuanzhi thought. She had been the one who was unappreciative in her past life.
"I thank the Emperor for his grace," Mu Yuanzhi said, her posture remaining submissive and aloof.
Pei Shangyan drew his sword and cleanly severed the heavy chains that bound her.
The same person, the same sword, the same swift, precise strike—for a fleeting moment, Mu Yuanzhi felt as if she had returned to her past life, and she couldn't help but flinch.
She felt as though she could still hear her own heart-wrenching screams, crying, "Prince Brother, it hurts so much!"
But the only answer she had received back then was the blade biting even deeper into her flesh!
Mu Yuanzhi tried to stand, but her legs, weakened by the cold, buckled beneath her. Pei Shangyan stepped forward quickly, catching her in his arms.