The Heir's Wife Reaped What She Had Sown

Ah—Yu Zhixue screamed soundlessly.

It felt as if something had gushed from her lower body. Her lips pale, she grabbed the man's arm. "The child, the child! Hurry and call a doctor."

Yan Xiao moved, then stopped again. His gaze fixed on her belly as if he'd recalled something terrifying. He even knocked her hand away and backed several steps.

Yu Zhixue's face was deathly pale. She smelled blood in the air and furrowed her brows, urging him again and again. "Husband, hurry! What are you waiting for? Save our child!"

Yan Xiao shook his head in a daze. "There's no saving it. The child was doomed from the start. Calling a doctor won't help."

Yu Zhixue couldn't believe it and shrieked, "He's our flesh and blood! With a doctor here, he can be saved! Bi'er, Bi'er—" Seeing that Yan Xiao was no help, she hurriedly called for her maid.

Yan Xiao covered her mouth, fear showing in his eyes. "It can't be saved. Do you know what happened at the Execution Grounds at noon?"

Yu Zhixue shook her head.

She felt guilty toward the Crown Prince and couldn't bear to watch him meet his end. She was also furious that Yan Xiao had betrayed her, so a few days earlier she'd moved to an estate in the suburbs, a hundred li from the capital.

Yan Xiao's hands were cold. His voice trembled as he said, "Heaven's thunder struck down to stop the Crown Prince from being beheaded before the crowds. To prove his innocence, snow fell all over the city in the sixth month." His voice was dry and hoarse. "The Crown Prince himself pronounced a curse: all who harmed him would suffer Heaven's wrath, their families destroyed and their descendants cut off. The men of their clans would become slaves, the women prostitutes, generation after generation."

Yu Zhixue's eyes suddenly widened.

Yan Xiao nodded, grief and fear in his face. "Heaven as Witness, the curse has taken effect. You harmed the Crown Prince, so you're doomed to have no descendants. Even if the child is born by some stroke of luck, he'll grow up to be a slave or a prostitute. This child..." He closed his eyes. "Not being born is the mercy you can show him."

Yu Zhixue felt cold all over. She shook her head helplessly. "It isn't true. You're lying to me. Snow in the sixth month? Heaven as Witness? Why didn't I see any of it?"

Yan Xiao looked at her in sorrow and despair. "I'm not lying. It's true."

As soon as word of the upheaval at the Execution Grounds spread, his family knew disaster was coming. They immediately sent him to fetch Yu Zhixue.

He hadn't learned the truth until he'd left the city gates: the snow had covered only the capital, and not a single flake had fallen beyond the gates.

It was a miracle, Heaven itself speaking up for the Crown Prince, manifesting its power especially for him.

Yu Zhixue stared wide-eyed, still unable to believe it. She fixed her gaze on Yan Xiao, as if trying to see through his lie.

Just then, there was another commotion outside, as though more people had arrived at the estate.

Yu Zhixue turned her head involuntarily. Through the open gate, she saw several figures on horseback rushing in.

The person at the front quickly dismounted. Yu Zhixue recognized him as her elder brother.

She opened her mouth. "Brother!"

As if sensing her gaze,

Yu Lingyue, the Marquis Jingyuan's Heir, looked up. Seeing the scene inside the room, he frowned, but kept striding toward it.

The door was soon kicked open. Bi'er followed behind him, bewildered, as Yu Lingyue strode inside.

Yu Zhixue's mouth drooped, and she reached out in grievance. "Elder Brother, why did you take so long to come? My stomach hurts so much, but Yan Xiao won't call a doctor for me. Hurry and save me!"

The Heir of Marquis Jingyuan shoved Yan Xiao aside. He ignored his sister's pleas. As Yu Zhixue stared at him in stunned disbelief, he raised his hand and struck her hard across the face, knocking her to the ground.

"Ah—Miss!" Bi'er watched in panic as her mistress fell into a pool of blood. She rushed over and lifted her up. "Heavens, Miss, you're bleeding! The young master, what will happen to the young master? Son-in-law, Heir, please save Miss!"

"Silence," the Heir of Marquis Jingyuan growled. His stern face turned cold and merciless as he looked at Yu Zhixue. "Wife of the Heir of Duke Changguo, you are no longer a daughter of Marquis Jingyuan's Estate, nor are you my sister. The family has already decided to expel you from the clan. All your belongings have been sent to Duke Changguo's Estate. We don't want the dowry your family gave you, either. From now on, whether you fare well or badly has nothing to do with Marquis Jingyuan's Estate."

Yan Xiao immediately understood. Marquis Jingyuan's Estate intended to sacrifice a pawn to save the king, severing ties with Yu Zhixue to avoid retaliation from the Crown Prince.

"Elder Brother, you..." His teeth clattered. Marquis Jingyuan's Estate was truly heartless.

The Heir of Marquis Jingyuan backhanded him across the face, his eyes full of hatred. "Don't call me Elder Brother. You're not worthy. Yu Zhixue ended up like this because of you. You're a calamity."

Yan Xiao's lips trembled, but he couldn't find anything to say in his defense.

"I've said all I have to say. You'd better take care of yourselves." Yu Lingyue left those words behind and turned to go.

He had made this trip especially to make things clear to Yu Zhixue.

Yu Zhixue's face was deathly pale. In a hoarse voice, she said, "So Yan Xiao was telling the truth. The Crown Prince didn't die, and he was innocent. Now he's taking revenge and cursing everyone who wronged him. Is that it?"

The Heir of Marquis Jingyuan stopped. "It's true. Yu Zhixue, the family did nothing wrong to you. You've always defied convention and damaged the family's reputation. Your family has done everything it could for you. If you have even a shred of conscience, don't mention Marquis Jingyuan's Estate again."

With that, he didn't linger. He turned and went out.

He had arrived as abruptly as a sudden gust, and left just as hastily.

Bi'er hurried to help her mistress up. "Miss, let me help you to bed. I'll call a doctor right away. You'll be all right."